Disappointed to not go to Norwich but was too busy during his visit to Cambridge to get away. Met [Edward Daniel] Clarke who travelled with [John Marten] Cripps [(1780-1853), traveller and antiquary] to the Crimea, met [Peter Simon] Pallas and purchased his herbarium and brought back a vast natural history collection, describes it in some detail including bust of Ceres. Has heard that the drawing of Mars and Venus omitted in the prints of the "Elogium Stultitiae" is now engraved in Veaux's French translation of "Elogium" printed at Basel in 1780 [French translation of Erasmus' "The Praise of Folly"]. The [Dublin] Botanic Garden now has 6000 plants.

Sending American plants by Lady Holland; return of botanical expedition from colonies.

Thanks Smith for his letter regarding the "little 'Dianthus'", comments on how the blossoms sometimes abruptly close at mid-day. Sending specimen and seeds of a possibly new 'Astragalus' [Smith has annotated above "only 'pilosus'"], which [George] Don had preserved for himself, a living specimen has been sent to Sir Joseph Banks but it has not been acknowledged. Gives a brief description of the leaves.

Has been suffering from gout which has prevented him from perusing the third volume of "Flora Britannica" and Dawson Turner's "Muscologiae Hibernicae Spicilegium". Asks whether 'Verbascum phoeniceum' has ever been considered indigenous to Britain.

Pleased that Smith is to lecture at the Royal Institution: he is limited to ten lectures but everything else is Smith's decision. Past examples of payment options, with Mr Grave, "public curator of Oxford", who gave two courses of ten lectures on civil architecture received £50 for each, Mr Dalton of Manchester received nearly the same for the same amount of lectures on Natural Philosphy, whilst three London lecturers who have chosen courses of six lectures on history, belle-lettres, and painting will receive life subscriptions for themselves and their wives, valued at £40.

Encloses a list of desiderata. Smith has ticked those that he sent: 'Grimmia schisti', 'Grimmia crispula', 'Grimmia donniana', 'Dicranum suscescens', 'Dicranum polycarpum', 'Hypnum swartzii', and 'Hypnum stokesii'.

Thanks for Smith's letter. Gratified that Smith accepted the portrait of his father [Johann Hedwig (1730-1799)] he sent, his loss; pleased Smith is using his father's classification in describing the mosses in "Flora Britannica" vol 3. Intends to request moss specimens from [James] Dickson from his new work, for his own continuation of his father's work on mosses, though he is struggling to find a publisher. Offers to send Smith moss collection. Has written a book on ferns after microscopic studies of many genera; would like it to be published and engraved in Britain; requests Smith's assistance; offers to send paper on ferns for Linnean Society.

Sends specimen of 'Humea' and an elm-leaved 'Grewia' for determination. Has a 'Nymphea' very similar to 'Carnia' but the flower is milk-white and nocturnal. Fears of invasion by the French, living in "anxious dread of the great little man's visit". Comments that the "great victory" achieved by the English merchant "China ships" fighting off [Charles-Alexandre Léon Durand] Linois' [French admiral] attack, without a convoy, was a "glory".

Sending dried plants he gathered in Portugal to Smith for determination. Details of the expedition, undertaken with Count Hoffmannsegg for a "Flora Lusitanica". Comments and questions on 'Genista lusitanica', 'Parietaria lusitanica', 'Lavatera lusitanica', 'Scilla lusitanica', 'Cynoglossum lusitanica', and 'Echium lusitanica'.

Thanks for turkey. Surprised that [John] White has not yet sent Smith his "Description of the genus Pinus", [William George] Maton has complained of the same, but those now being printed are on much better paper. Paid £130 for Surinam collection with [Edward] Rudge, it contains 3000 plants. Believes it contains all of [Jean Baptiste Christophore Fusée] Aublet's [(1720-1778) French botanist] plants and hundreds not described by him. Specimens inlcude 'Portlandia hexandra', 'Gustavia augusta', 'Gustavia fastuosa', 'Styrax bengain', 'Dipterix odorata', and 'Siphoria elatica'.

Smith about to receive copy of "A description of the genus Pinus" which is far superior to the earlier copies. Occupied with the Cayenne plants [Lambert purchased collections gathered in South America by Jospeh Martin and captured by English privateers], "never was such a collection ever before imported". Contains about 1700 species with no old plants except for those of [Jean Baptiste Christophore Fusée] Aublet [(1720-1778) French botanist]. Five new species of 'Roupala' and five or six of 'Myristica'. Reminds Smith he is still looking for scarcer species of willow.

Marquess of Blandford's [George Spencer-Churchill] collections will be "more worth seeing that any private collection in this country", discusses Blandford's enthusiasm for botany. Blandford has sixteen men working in his botanic garden. Mentions Blandford having written the "History of the 'Nymphae lotus'" in last number of [Henry Charles] Andrews' "Botanists' Repository", figured from his aquarium where it flowered for first time in England. 'Dammera' arrived at Kew with "the China treasures". Received 500 species of dried plants from Cape [of Good Hope] including sixty-one 'Protea', and capsules of 'Ochroma lagopus' from island of Nevis, from which he has raised thirteen plants, [William Townsend] Aiton is anxious to have it at Kew. "Little John from Van Diemen Land [Tasmania]" has a cargo for him. Asks after "the British Garden" and "Flora Graeca".

Questions Smith on Linnaeus' published works, his acquisiton of the Linnaean collections, and progress of the Linnaean system in Britain, for new edition of [Richard] Pulteney's "A general view of the writings of Linnaeus". Intends to include a diary of Linnaeus he recently purchased. Asks if Smith is publishing "Lachesis Lapponica".

Sends copy of 'Flore de Malmaison' by command of the Empress, also his 'Anat. et Physio. des Végétables.'

Received Smith's letter regarding [John Mackay's (1772-1802), employed at Dickson nursery, Edinburgh] alleged plagiarism of [George] Don, gives his own opinion of the matter including analysis of Don's character. In reference to 'Stellaria cerastoides' and 'Thlaspi hirtum' believes it is due to miscommunications and assumptions, [Smith has annotated in the margin stating similar], and condemns Mackay's "silence". Agrees with Smith's plan to mention the claims of Don and others when discussing the plants in question and saying nothing of Mackay. Some observations of the 205 plant specimens in 141 genera Neill gathered in Sheltand and Orkney, including: 'Lichen calicaris' covering the standing stones of Stennes; 'Byssus aeruginosa' coating interior of St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney; and the hardy oat 'Avena strigosa' which is cultivated instead of 'Avena sativa'. Also gathered shells of 'Trochus ziziphynus', 'Pecten pusio', 'Astrea maxima', 'Arca glycinieris', and 'Bulla ligniaria', Rothesholm Head (Rousom Head).

Asks after letters, books, and plant specimens he, [José Antonio] Pavon, [Hipólito] Ruiz [López (1754-1816), botanist], and [Francisco] Zea sent three months ago; fears they have been intercepted.

Thanks for election as FMLS; recommends Pavon and Ruiz, his former pupils, for same. Asks Smith's opinion of current theory in Spain regarding location of the stigma of 'Iris'. Requests that sending of "Linnean Transactions" should not be hindered, and offers to send anything required by the Society, to try to repair the damage suffered to such exchanges through cause of the war.

Thanks for invitation to Norwich. Thanks for name of bookseller stocking the book [Etienne Pierre] Ventenat wishes to acquire.

Encloses his moss desiderata [not extant]. Encloses specimens, including: 'Myostis', 'Fontinalis capillacea' called Moss of Copens, mosses, and 'Hypnum triforium'; observations [Smith has annotated in margin].

Thanks for information in letter of 30 December [1803]; remarks on 'Splachnum urceolatum' and Much obliged for information contained in previous letter; comments on 'Splachnum urceolatum' and 'Byssus lepro-viridus'. Encoses specimens of 'Alopecurus alpinus' and 'Poa flexuosa'.

Numbered observations on enclosed specimens: 1-5. 'Lichen'; 6. 'Lotus'; 7. another 'Lichen'. Would like Smith's opinion on 'Galium arvensis', 'Bryum', 'Hypnum', and 'Orthotrichum' sent in previous letters. Accepts Smith's offer to send "Flora Britannica", would also like any cryptogam specimens.

Postmark 30 January 1804. Two specimens of grass, labelled.