Responds to points in Woodward's letter of 31 March [1792] on use of Latin in "Icones pictae". Concerned Woodward has not yet received the "peculiarly good" castor oil he sent during stay at Norwich and Ipswich. Setting out for Frogmore tomorrow for 5 weeks to teach the Queen's [Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818)] and Princesses botany and zoology, hopes he will receive some recompense.

Sending lichens. Asks Woodward's opinion of enlarging "English botany" to 6 plants for 2s 6d, as currently [James] Sowerby receives little and he nothing from it. Intends to work on his "Tour" at Frogmore. Plants found by [James] Dickson in Scotland: 'Saxifraga cernua', 'Gentiana nivalis', 'Stellaria cerastoides', and others have found 'Eriophorum alpinum', 'Convallaria verticillata', and 'Pyrola uniflora'. The bad accounts from Sierra Leone are false, or at least the [Sierra Leone] Company know nothing of them.

Shortly leaving for Windsor to give the Queen and princesses five or six week course of lectures on zoology and botany, not going into detail "on the various structure of vesiculae seminales, nor on the "vulva hiaus" of the Viola (see "Flo[ra] Lapponica")". Compliments the Queen and princesses Augusta and Elizabeth. No payment has been mentioned as he initially only undertook to organise [John] Lightfoot's herbarium and the lectures have been proposed since. They think him "a wondrous learned philosopher" and cynically comments on getting a share of the "plunder" of the Church and King, though to do so would have to pray that "light & liberty may never make any progress in the world"; he prays most "fervently" for "virtuous" liberty and "not the sight of cutting off any body's head at pleasure". The "Magnificent Lords" of Geneva "cut a ridiculous figure" and are "quite a joke with the French", presumes the Berne aristocracy are anxious [threatened invasion of Switzerland by French] and will not write to Turin as they too must be anxious and not thinking of botany.

Delessert going over his [Smith's] herbarium. Progressing well with his "Sketch of a Tour on the Continent". Responds to Davall's letter of 12 October: nothing to fear from the French and blames the Genevans who "had no business to put on a warlike appearance" and that it is only their own tyrants that make the Swiss fight the French; detests the Geneva and Berne governments. As the French behaved well in Savoy and Nice thinks they will not come for plunder, and as Davall is English he should not be hurt.