Cost of work supported by Government; doubts about Smith's determination of the seed; Lamarck and Linnaeus; a great fire.

Sending Smith eight volumes of the Royal Agricultural Society of Turin via Dr Istria, who is travelling to London with the Marquess of Moss, asks that Smith introduces Istria to the medical establishment. Also sending a dissertation on the propagation of mushrooms, work by Mr Pic and a pamphlet by Mr Bonansea on a new theory on the internal cause of the putrid fever. Has had to postpone sending dried plant specimens. Hopes in future to send the five volumes of the old Royal Academy of Sciences of Turin and the three volumes of the new Royal Academy of Sciences. Thanks Smith for the paper he sent on the "propagation of species" and seeds of 'Smithia' and welcomes his paper on ferns and on any other subject of natural history.

Smith elected Associate Foreign Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Turin in preference to [Peter Simon] Pallas and others by a majority of seventeen to two. Dr Istria was unable to bring to London the promised six volumes of memoirs of the Royal Agricultural Society of Turin.

Thanks for diploma ; memoir on sex-organs of plants.

A bust of Linnaeus for Paris; work of Linnaeus; desires scientific co-operation in spite of the Revolution.

The fish specimen that he thought was 'Uranoscopus' is in fact 'Perca alepidota', is sending it to Smith along with other unspecified specimens.

Struggling to grow the seeds sent by Smith due to their arrival late in the season. [William] Thomson [(c 1760-1806), mineralogist and physician] is to visit him and although pleased is disturbed by the reason for his journey [Thomson was disgraced in 1790 following imputations from a previous experiment on a man and accusations of "improper behaviour" with a servant boy]. Involved in sourcing the Republic's army with clothing and other items. Introduces Dr Onofrio Scasto who is carrying the letter and travelling with Mr Malis. Requests seeds, especially of 'Passiflora', 'Mimosa', 'Robinia', 'Aeschinomene', 'Cassia', and 'Lantana', amongst others. Attempting to grow 'Phaseolus caracalla' again after it died in cold weather.

Comments on the petrified wood sent by Baron de la Turpie, who is now the King of Sardinia's ambassador to the Empress of Russia. Feels his advancing age. Introduces Mrs Langford, daughter of Thomas Sainsbury, Alderman of Billingsgate. Ippolito Durazzo's wife has recently given birth to a son. Caffarena's own youngest son wishes "serve his king and country in the navy".

Pleasure at Smith's visit; his work on plants of Provence; the Linnaean collections; 'Daphne alpina'; observations on Pliny; works of Linnaeus; copies of Linnaean letters.

Copy of letter from Linnaeus to Gérard, dated 22 June 1756, in Smith's hand [8 pp]:

Thanks for Gérard's letter of 30 November 1755, parcel of 100 dried plants, and seeds. Struggling to progress with his work on account of corrections to be made. Impressed by Gérard's progress and abilities; has learnt more from Gérard's plant collections than from many books. Numbered observations on plants sent by Gérard. Asks Gérard to investigate 'Allium' of [Pierre] Magnol's "Botanicum Monspeliense". Recent publications and dissertations, including his own. Catalogue of parcel of plants Gérard sent Linnaeus.

Copy of letter from Linnaeus to Gérard, dated 24 October 1756 [5 pp]:

Responds to queries in Gerard's letter of 15 August [1756], including: state of Cliffortian garden; Royen's departure from Leyden botanic garden; received floras from Heintzelman, Gerberius, and Messerschmidt; Gmelin produced two volume "Flora Siberica" but died last year; [John] Sibthorp will not produce biographies of Sherard and Dillenius; has not seen Gesner's "Trevisum" works; details of pupils who are travelling overseas. List of numbered plants.

Informs Smith of his election as an Honorary Associate l'Academie Delphinale.

Account for books, etc.

Account for books, etc.

Thanks for Linnaean dissertations; list of those required; has been elected to Acad. der Sciences; news.

Sale and purchase of books; titles of nobility.

Payment for books, etc.

Civil duties; appointed a judge; recovery of his son.

Thanks for diploma of Linnean Society; local famine and distress; Gmelin.

Thanks Smith for his kindess during his time in England. Introduces Mr Becker, apothecary to the King of Denmark and grandson "to the celebrated father of chemistry in the last century", asks that he be showed Linnaean collections. Pleased with Smith's "second fasciculus" ["Icones pictae plantarum rariorum"], hopes that Mr Monnet [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck] will not insult Smith further although some of Lamarck's acquaintances have told Jacquin he cannot understand Smith's preface but has found nobody who agrees with him. [Charles Louis] L'Héritier, [Pierre Auguste] Broussonet, [François] Cels and others wish to establish a Parisian Linnean Society in imitation of Smith's in London; news.

Plants found in the last month in Westport, County Mayo, [Ireland]: 'Andromeda daboecia', 'Empetrum nigrum', and 'Saxifraga umbrosa', remarking of the latter "the London Pride not in Hudson" ["Flora Anglica"]. Hopes to send an account of Mayo plants. Met Patrick Browne [(c 1720-1790) Irish botanist], "quite a cripple with old age" who showed him a copy of his "Flora Hibernica", believes it not much more than a catalogue [this remained unpublished until 1995]. Browne discussed Jamaican plants [Browne's "The civil and natural history of Jamaica"] and his correspondence with Linnaeus. At Lord Altamont's saw a "true Irish wolf dog", the seven Altamont owns are the only ones left in Ireland. The sheets of a botanical work left with Smith are from [Walter] Wade's intended "Flora Dubliniensi". Parliament have given £300 for Wade's campaign to establish Dublin botanic garden. Wade would like to correspond with Linnean Society and establish an Irish counterpart, requests copy of rules. Hopes [John] Fairbairn received West Indies seeds he sent. Will return to County Mayo for a few more months. Found 'Andromeda polifolia' growing in a bog near Althone.

Going to Ceylon as Army Surgeon.