Confined with rheumatism since Christmas. Account of his tour of Scotland with his son last July: went at invitation of Duke of Gordon, it was his first time north of the Tweed river and they travelled 900 miles visiting Edinburgh, Sterling, Crieff, Perth, Brechin, Alexander Brodie's at the Burn purchased of Lord Adam Gordon, Aberdeen, Inverurie and Huntly to Gordon Castle, James Brodie's "bad old house", Inverness, the Highland Road, on which without servant and carriage they would have been "lost in difficulties", and Glasgow, before returning home via Carlisle, Keswick, Ambleside, and Lord Lonsdale's [William Lowther, 1st Earl Lonsdale (1757-1844)] new home at Lowther, "a gothic palace, & tho' only begun 2 years since is already inhabited by all the family", by architect [Robert] Smirke [(1780-1867)]. Intention of tour was "to gain new ideas of country & inhabitants, and refused all opportunity of sporting" and did not search for plants as his son is not a botanist. Brodie has botanic garden for British plants and went salmon fishing with him: where they are most plentiful is the worst for angling as "they are harrassed with nets night & day, & have no time to feed". The Duke [of Gordon's] fishery, on river Spey, is let for 6000 guineas per annum and is said make a fortune with 2000 fish taken in one day, saw the icehouses which are entirely above ground so the melted ice sinks into sand. Largest fish ever caught was at Aberdeen May 1762, weighing 63lb Dutch weight.

Smith's 'Glaucium fubrum' thriving with him. Amused to find that [Dawson] Turner's figure of '[Fucus] siliquosus' was copied from his own. [Thomas] Marsham has recovered his credit and sent Colonel Tindall of Scarborough, [Yorkshire], the microscopic objects he promised. Recently took a drop of mercury for an ailment, hopes to never have to again. Details of a new heating system installed for his workshops, which are extremely cold in winter. Treated lumbago and pain in his legs with calomel and opium, having received no benefit from his own nostrum and James's pills. When Smith goes to London requests him to bring the plants he asked Smith to name two years ago.

Collected 'Satyrium repens' and 'Pyrola secunda' in woods at Gordon Castle and Brodie gave him 'Eriocaulon'.

Thanks for moss specimens; his 'Hypnum myosuroides' is 'H. curvatum'. If Smith and Mrs Smith ever travel north invites them to visit his "excellent house", built by himself and provides details of coaches.

Sends copy of [Lewis David de] Schweinitz and [Johann Baptist von] Albertini's "Fungi Niskienses". Explains the genesis of the work; well received in Europe and by Persoon.

Thanks for Smith's letters of 24 April and 3 May, his daughter [Mariamne Johnes] thanks Smith for the seeds. Has had a severe cold and fever and sprained his ankle in a fall. Asks Smith's brother the best place and persons to buy crimson serges from. Flattered by Smith's dedication [in his "Tour to Hafod" (1810)]; crossed out a few words in the preface for displaying "far too much vanity on my part, and alas this place has gained me enemies enough". Supposes it comes out the same time as his [Enguerrand de] Monstrelet [(1400-1453), French chronicler] translation, of which the entire edition has sold before publication. Impatient to go home but it will not be complete till the end of the month. Surprised by number of books he has saved from the fire or from being thieved; Smith's "Insects [of Georgia]" amongst them, and once all arranged expects to have a finer collection than before.

[In postscript] thanks Smith for wheat, which he sowed into the garden straight away.

Thanks for Smith's letter of 13 June but still waiting for "the handsome present", blames White [publisher] for not following his advice. Found that the best market for the serges he wanted is in Bristol; thanks Smith for his assistance. Knows little of [Thomas] Andrew Knight and does not share the same opinion "which he seems to have of himself".

Always though D'Eon "a man, & that it was a gambling trick of that scoundrel de Morande to gain money by the policy", and all has now turned out as he expected. Discusses [William] Windham's [(1750-1810), politician] death and his former friendship with him; received a letter from him just before the event. Returned to Hafod first week of June but workmen still here and has no bed to offer anyone. Satisfied to find that all he planned surpasses his expectations, "both for comfort & magnificance", and it is far superior to the old house.

Sending portfolio of drawings soon but Stadler wants them a little longer. Has not had his copies of his [Enguerrand de] Monstrelet [(1400-1453), French chronicler] translation; describes the contents. Discusses a poem and biography of [Emperor] Maximilian [I (1459-1519)] with curious wood cuts by same engraver; lost copies of both in his library fire and replaced former but not the latter yet.

Employing himself in "all the luxury of complete idleness". Though books in Britain are selling at "immense" prices surprised by prices in France, citing recent publication of three part work on Egypt containing 840 prints on vellum paper costing 5400 francs [pencil annotations of other figures]. Had some fine drawings for French edition of Monstrelet but they arrived too late. Decoration of his hall.

Mr Martin [Smith's brother-in-law] remains "very lame" and will have a long recovery but his general health is good. [Liverpool Botanic] Garden going on well. [John] Shepherd [(c 1764-1836, curator Liverpool Botanic Garden] intends to send Smith a curious 'Cryptogamian' plant via John Fraser [(c 1750-1811), botanist], who has just returned from a 3 year expedition in America with thousands of new and valuable plants; they are being sent to Chelsea via canals; Fraser spoke warmly of Smith.

Considering writing botanical paper on "a subject so critical that no one else dare venture upon it" [comparison of systems of Linnaeus and Jussieu], which will complete his public image as being "heretic in religion, a sceptic in history, a malcontent in politics"; intends to quote Smith in support of Linnaeus.

Sends sketch of his paper on "natural & artificial arrangements of plants" to Smith [see RelatedMaterial below]; comments and remarks on contents.

Sends the 'Cryptogamous' plant found by Henry Shepherd, brother of John Shepherd [(c 1764-1836, curator Liverpool Botanic Garden] for Smith's opinion. Shepherd thanks Smith for parcel of seeds. Allerton undergoing great changes including completion of modern elevation and sweeping away of old gardens. Anxious to see Smith's "Tour to Hafod". Asks for details of plan, extent, and price of "Flora Graeca". Still regrets cessation of "Exotic botany"; urges Smith to consider an edition of the works of Linnaeus, of which Smith is the only possible editor. Mr Martin [Smith's brother-in-law] making little progress in his recovery.

Rejects Smith's proposal to give Brown's name to Brown's genus 'Josephia'; explains how he previously considered 'Dryandra' and others. Sends Smith two 'Orchidaceae' to be considered instead and suggests 'B. tropica' or 'B. sencea' for one and 'B. australis' for the other, observations on second and third pages [crossed through in pencil]. Urges a swift "baptizm" if acceptable to Smith so as to include them in the "Prodromus" he is currently working on. Suggests an appendment to Smith's "Lapland tour", currently in the press, in the form of an essay on its botany by [Georg] Wahlenberg. [Alexander] Macleay has fractured the fibula of his right leg. An essay on 'Proteaceae' by "Knight & co." [Richard Salisbury published Brown's 'Proteacea' under the name of Joseph Knight (c 1777-1855), gardener for George Hibbert (1757-1837, merchant), see RelatedMaterial].

Believes the 'Parmelia' from St Leonard's Forest and common on beech trees is a distinct species, most resembles 'P. lavigata' and 'P. scortea'; differences and similarities. Observations on 'Lecidea synothea', sent [James] Sowerby specimen , also sending 'Lichen olivacens', and flowers of the Sussex elm. Corrections for "English botany": error in translation of vexillum; [Robert] Brown first discoverer of 'Lichen mentosus' in Britain, having found it in Aberdeenshire in 1794.

Postscript to Davies' letter of 28 November 1810 [see RelatedMaterial below]. Sending [James] Sowerby duplicate specimen of 'Lichen scaber', which he had formerly given to [William] Hudson.

Sends parcel from [George] Don. Error with Smith's new species 'Hieracium prenanthoides' in "English botany", confusion with 'H. denticulatum'; discusses in detail.

Mr Drummond just returned from tour of western County Cork where he found a new 'Ophrys'; sends specimen and transcript of Drummond's account of it [extant]. Drummond "much obliged" by Smith's notice of his 'Pinguicula'; Miss Hutchins thought it 'P. vulgaris' of Withering and "English botany"; Drummond's acquisition of this and 'P. grandifolia'.

Drummond's account and description of new 'Ophrys' [3 pp, Smith has annotated on recto of third folio 'Neothia gemmipara']

Introduces himself. Has brought his collections of 'Fucus' and 'Conferva' to London, gathered from north Devon coast over the last 4 years; [John] Stackhouse considers many to be new species; invites Smith to inspect them at Sir Joseph Banks' house. Offers Smith specimens of each of the 'Fucus'.

[Spec 16 in pencil at top of verso of folio]

He was not mistaken in his ideas respecting the horn of the rhinoceros, having observed the living specimen at Exeter Change, which is larger than Mr B's specimen but has a much shorter horn; concludes that the horn on Mr B's is from another species. Sending specimen of 'Acontium napellus' found near Cheltenham, [Gloucestershire], has also found it near Carlisle, [Cumberland]. considers it a British species.

Will explain his reasons for opposing Mr Bullock when he next sees Smith.

["Spec 15" written in pencil top of verso of first folio]

[Robert] Brown is to succeed [Jonas] Dryander as Sir Joseph Banks' [librarian]. Royal Society librarianship still vacant. [William Elford] Leach censured at Linnean Society for sending a circular letter against election of [William] Bullock [(fl 1790s-1840s)]; expects further unpleasantness. Hopes to see Smith's edition of "Lachesis Lapponica" soon. He is currently Lady Banks' physician.

Sends "English botany" as usual but late, and adds profile of [Peter Simon] Pallas as a present from [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert, who has given the plate to Linnean Society. Sends a couple of drawings for "English botany" and some of Smith's specimens and drawings. He has begun some things for "Icones pictae", asks if Smith wishes to go on with it. Hopes to get faster out of debt this year. Encloses £20 bank note and package from [William] Borrer.

Sending profile of Pallas, plants, and drawings until some "Flora Graeca" is sent.

Apologises for delay in sending Smith the information he requested in his last letter. Transcribes character of 'Ulva plantanginea' ('Tremella marina' of Dillenius) from [Albrecht Wilhelm] Roth's "Catalecta botanica", observations on description.

Has written to [Lewis Weston] Dillwyn [(1778-1855), naturalist] on subject of 'Ulva turneri' being published in "English botany", as Dillwyn had intended to publish it in "Linnean Transactions"; thinks it satisfactorily distinct from 'U. fistulosa', and thinks same of Miss Hutchin's 'U. ramulosa' and branched varities of 'U. compressa'; observations. Has never had 'Conferva fibrata' in fruit, and neither drawings nor specimens of 'C. radicans', having given all he had to Dillwyn when he published his "Synopsis".

Encloses a 'Conferva' just received from [William Jackson] Hooker. Pleased that Smith obtained [Heinrich Adolph] Schrader's "Flora [Germanica]" and has good opinion of it; hopes it and [Daniel Matthias Heinrich] Mohr's [(1780-1808), botanist] "cryptogamic flora" will be finished. Has requested [William] Borrer's first genera of 'Lichen' for comparison against Smith's, hopes Borrer will finish and publish without waiting for remaining genera.

Returns Linnaean 'Fucus' specimens.

Five items enclosed, comprising:

1. [4.45] Letter from Davies to Smith. Sends a possible paper for "Linnean Transactions". Relates his good health although his peace of mind has been disturbed by [Edward] Donovan's [(1768-1837) zoologist] malignity. Believes Donovan's vanity and a "wish to be conspicuous" led to him to dispute sections of [Thomas] Pennant's "British Zoology" in order to support his own work, knowing Pennant to be dead and believing Davies and Pennant's illustrator [Moses] Griffith [(1749-c 1809)] to be also dead. Asks Smith to compare a handwritten extract from Donovan's "History of Fishes" [4.48], a sketch of the Beaumaris shark [4.47], printed letter from Moses Griffith [4.49], and the figure of the shark in "British Zoology".

2. [4.47] Traced copy of Davies' original drawing of the Beaumaris Shark, the same which he lent to Edward Donovan, asks Smith to compare it to the reduced copy which appears in "British Zoology" and the "audacious" account Donovan gives in the 'Squalus cornubicus' article in "History of British Fishes", note to also see [Samuel] Goodenough's article on the Porbeagle shark in "Linnean Transactions".

3. [4.48] Handwritten extract from article on 'Squalus cornubicus' from Donovan's "History of British Fishes", in which Donovan claims that Davies' drawing of the shark as it appears in "British Zoology" is altered from the original to such an extent that a very different fish is conveyed, implying that this led to Goodenough erroneously claiming in "Linnean Transactions" that the 'Squalus cornubicus' could not be the same as the Beaumaris shark.

4. [4.49] Printed extract from a letter written by Moses Griffith and published in "the Cambrian" 30 Dec 1809 refuting Donovan's claims that he was dead and defending himself against criticism of his draughtsman skills.

5. [4.50] Printed "Extracts from the North Wales Gazette" 1 March and 8 March 1810. Davies first defended against Donovan's accusations of Davies spreading falsehoods in the June 1809 "Gentleman's Magazine". Donovan replied in the August 1809 and September 1809 "Gentleman's Magazine". Davies was apparently prevented from replying again in the "Gentleman's Magazine" so recoursed to the North Wales Gazette in which he makes a lenghty defense. Davies has annotated sections with page references to Pennant's "Tours in Wales".

Requests Smith's assistance in finding a builder to rebuild the Parsonage House at his friend's Rev Trivett's new living near Yarmouth, Norfolk. Recalls seeing 'Mespilus germanica' in Sussex, compares it to figures in several works and concludes that the one in "English Botany" is a cultivated variety. Asks why [Thomas] Martyn has not been mentioned in "Hortus Kewensis" as the publisher of [Philip] Miller's "Gardener's Dictionary". [James] Donn [(1758-1813) gardener] is publishing another edition of "Hortus Cantabrigiensis".