Pleased by Smith's intention to visit her on his way to Oxford. She has been so ill with a painful arm that she recently cancelled a visit from [William Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl] Fitzwilliam [(1748-1833)] and Lady Fitzwilliam.

Thanks for turkey and biscuits, which her ill-health prevented her from acknowledging sooner. Offers Smith a stuffed bird of paradise for his collection; she received it with a living parakeet from Bombay and its plumage is as though it died yesterday. Ashamed to put Smith's household to the expense and trouble of satisfying her demand for biscuits and ideally would like a box quarterly but her finances constrained "since Mr [William] Pitt [the Younger (1759-1806), prime minister] has been pleas'd to take £500 a year" from her income.

Comments that Smith's 'Agapanthus' which bore the winter and flourished in a border "must have been very pleasant", and wishes Smith could persuade Grieg, her gardener, to make similar experiments at Hillingdon. 'Amarylis radiata' in flower in her room which she thinks worthy of being drawn; [James] Sowerby does not recall her sending him a flower and leaf of it two years ago.

Curious to know whether Smith's sister is married to his young companion he brought to visit last year. Sending the bird in a box soon.

Praises "Flora Britannica" and Smith's work expanding descriptions, "reducing the Botanist's labour tenfold", and new specific descriptions; flattered by notice of him in it.

Invites Smith to visit her the next time he is in London. Apologises for long delay in correspondence, caused by her "nervous disaffection" and ill health, and had meant to respond to Smith's letter congratulating her on "the blessing of Peace". Sorry to hear Smith's old complaint has returned.

Proposes that a toast be made to her late husband, [Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd marquess of Rockingham (1730-1782), prime minister], at the Linnean Society Anniversary meeting on 24 May, as his birthday was also 24 May and he was a "rising botanist of great promise" and "a most attach'd disciple of Linnaeus". Thanks for present of dried fruit and biscuits, which have now regained their "peculiar taste & good quality" following "those cruel times of real, or pretended scarcity", though does not believe that any flour have yet or perhaps ever will return to same quality as before. Praises the sermon Smith sent her, which reminds her of something in [James] Saurin [(1677-1730), French preacher]; details of a sermon she will send in return. Apologises for legibility of letter as her eyelid complaint has returned.

Regrets the serious condition which prevented Smith from coming to Hillingdon. Recommends Dr James' powders for erruptive fevers, glad to hear Smith's lungs are not affected.

Enquires after Smith's recovery from his illness. Current "extraordinary weather" is very unfavourable to invalids; she has never known such "unabating high winds with violent storms of rain & sometimes hail, at this time of the year", she has been feeling very indifferent.

Encloses duplicate of letter he sent Smith in March [1807] [extant], and packet of plants; wishes to know Smith's opinion of this and the packet he sent October 1806. Asks if his new genus 'Gwillimia' has been accepted.

Uncertain whether Smith is in Norwich, [Norfolk], or in Paris. Sends the Smiths a "whimsical Christmas hommage" of gold Butterfly handkerchief and little fly pins for Mrs [Pleasance] Smith, and a pocket microscope for Smith. Intended to send them on New Year's Day.

Looking forward to Smith's visit but asks that he comes without his pupil as "a stranger is always a distressing restraint" upon her and would prevent her talking at her ease with Smith, who she has not seen for a long time.

Sends a sucking-pig to Smith for [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert's table tomorrow and recommends that it is roasted whole, including head and not with "the limbs cut off, as is the fashion of some cooks to send them up". Thanks for "the rich present of bulbs" and asks that Smith's "young man" provides a list. Her Sierra Leone white lily now has six flowers and "is a great height & has a noble appearance". Gratified by the possibility of peace, which she credits the "eloquent display of the wise & honest sentiments of my friend Mr Fox" for.

Smith was kind to her dogs and they have tried the vitriol but they still scratch. Her health indifferent from spasms. Hopes Smith's eye will not suffer on his journey.

Reports death, on 19 December, of Lady Rockingham [Mary Watson-Wentworth], ten days before Smith's box of biscuits and apples arrived. Mrs [Elizabeth] Weddell [Watson-Wentworth's step-sister] the sole executrix. Lady Rockingham was being treated by Dr Fraser and there were hopes she would recover, and she was not confined to bed any more than usual, but she died with water on the chest at about 5 o'clock in the morning.

Grief at death of Lady Rockingham [Mary Watson-Wentworth]. Mrs [Pleasance] Smith regrets that she never knew her personally. They saw the death notice in the Norwich paper the evening after sending box of apples and biscuits. Preparing a general account of Lady Rockingham for the "Monthly Magazine" and asks her age, presumes she will be buried in York Minster.

Lady Rockingham's [Mary Watson-Wentworth] character. She was 68 years old on 4 August last year. Himself, Mrs Thornton, and Grieg, her gardener, attended her to her burial in York with two mourning coaches of 6 horses each in addition to 6 horses on hearse and another mourning coach and 6 horses which met her at Doncaster, [Yorkshire], on orders of [William Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl] Fitzwilliam [(1748-1833)]. A great number of her Badsworth, [Yorkshire], tenants and her respectable friends were at York, and a great number of shops were shut up as a mark of respect.

Regrets that Hillingdon and all the stock are to be sold but does not yet know about the plants.

His hearing returned within a few miles of Grantham, [Lincolnshire]. A friend of his has recognised fern root in "Ching's lozenges" after Farquhar prescribed them for severe stomach pains, having previously taken nostrum of the male fern for a tapeworm in Switzerland; refers to a letter addressed to Mr Ching signed by Ireland, the Oxford apothecary, as an avowed piece of fun by an Oxford wag.

Will examine 'Ulva diaphara' and 'Ulva flavescens' at home. Travelling home with Lady Frankland's brother, Mr Smelt, who married Lord Chesterfield's only sister and has eleven children, and his eldest daughter who is to be a companion for Lady Frankland, lessening his dread of returning home.

Forwarded Mr Harriman's letter. Glad his 'Bromus' correct. Approves name 'Ulva alcicornis' and thinks Dawson Turner "very dextrous in his names" compared to those previously stating names. Will bring 'Ulva diaphara' and 'U. flavescens' to London for Smith to see what [William] Hudson named the latter.

Sorry Smith was an invalid this summer and hopes London was clear of its "detestable fogs" when he was there. His own health good since adopting rigid temperance plan of limiting himself to eight ounces of wine a day and no fermented liquor at supper, though cannot resist his own beer, brewed by itself 10 bushels to 3 hogsheads and matured for 12 to 18 months. Lady Frankland surprisingly well considering her anxiety over her three daughters. Recently made some "metallic tractors" for a Durham physician; in a recent number of the "Medical Journal" there is a complete "quizzing" of them by Dr Alderson of Hull, several patients in the infirmary received so much benefit that they returned their thanks in church for their cures, these tracters were made of wood and coated with sealing wax.

Forwarded letter to [Richard] Salisbury. Sorry to hear of Smith's poor health. Unable to procur specimens of 'Poa procumbens' this season for Smith's Lady friend. Encloses a grass which grows "by the Avon side below the Hotwells". [William] Curtis' 'Poa retroflexa' grows near him on dry soil in a thick patch where an old road was obliterated, sees no difference between the two except that Avon plant is two or three feet high. There is no snow and colour of grass not changed by frost, cattle are out and he is about to sow wheat. Criticises [James] Sowerby's figure of 'Fucus roseus' for not resembling any specimen he has seen; lists differences.

Makes observation on upper pair of leaves in his 'Rubus' compared to [James] Sowerby's; brought specimens for Sir Joseph Banks but he does not think there is a second species. Has his 'Ulva lumbricalis' for Smith. Has taken his seat but unsure how long he will hold it and confusion of politics prevents the arrangement in which his brother is concerned from taking place at present. Has just received Chelmsford felons' calendar with 110 names, the Yorkshire has 59.

As thanks for the "great pleasure" she derived from Smith's botanical lecture sends him the enclosed work, [probably her "A poetical introduction to the study of botany" (1801)], which was written "with the hope of facilitating to young minds the acquisition of that elegant service".

His eldest son, aged 20, has developed consumption and they are about to embark for either Lisbon or Madeira subject to Dr Ritcairn's opinion. Received Smith's letter on 'Chelone barbata'.

Dr Ritcairn has written him with encouraging account of Madeira so is determined to set out as soon as possible with his son [suffering from consumption].