Requests return of autographs of [Jean-Jacques] Rousseau [(1712-1778), philosopher], [Nicolas de] Condorcet [(1743-1794)], [William] Hogarth [(1697-1764)], and Ramsay, if Nichols has them. Hopes "Linnaean correspondence" is selling well, has not yet seen it reviewed.

Thanks for letter and packet. Observations on Winch's specimens: leaving the roses until he comes to that section of "[English] Flora", but having briefly examined them concurs with Winch's opinions and compliments him as "a faithful & original observer"; believes the genus ['Rosa'] is a perfect example of the saying "the more cooks, the worse broth"; has no true authority for 'Rosa villosa' being wild in Britain.

Has not yet read [William Jackson] Hooker's work on roses, but thinks Hooker was "too hasty" with 'Salix' and showed he had not studied them properly, which he has told him, will avoid doing so in public. Criticises various recent publications on 'Salix' including by De Candolle and Sprengel, in which his own work on willows has been "jumbled", and Seringue, leading to nurserymen applying his names to common varities, leading him to be "plagued with enquiries".

Observations on Winch's remaining specimens: Winch's 'Salix forsteriana' and 'S. andersoniana' correct; the 'Salix' of fifth and sixth editions of [William] Withering's ["Botanical arrangement"] is 'S. myrsinites'; 'Cypripedium calceolus'; 'Saxifraga hirculus'; Winch's 'Epilobium alpestre' his 'E. alsinifolium'; 'Thlaspi hirtum'; Winch's new 'Veronica' is his 'V. saxatilis'.

Thanks for Winch's last work, has sent a copy to [Robert] Brown. Apologises for not being "a good correspondent", he has too much other writing; deeply engaged with "Flora Graeca", and following a trip to Holkham [Hall, Norfolk, home of Thomas William Coke] intends to focus on "English Flora", which he longs for "more than a schoolboy for his holidays".

[On recto of second folio] Two lists of plants sent to Smith, dated 12 March 1823, and 26 April 1824 "with desiderata" [in Winch's hand, see RelatedMaterial below].

Sends seeds and list of desiderata.

Twenty-fourth volume of transactions of the Academia Reale delle Scienze di Torino [Royal Academy of Sciences Turin], of which he is the secretary, is to be sent to Smith. The complete collection of transactions of the Academy was dispatched to [Alexander] Macleay earlier in the year. Reminds Smith of the exchange of publications between Turin Academy and Linnean Society agreed with Professor [Franco Andrea] Bonelli [(1784-1830), Italian zoologist] when he was assisting with Linnean Society meetings in November 1819.

On verso of second folio Smith has noted: "sent to the Acad. my Compend[iu]m [florae Britannicae] ed. 3d & Linn[aeus'] Orb[is] er[uditi] Judic[ium] [and] Obs[ervationes] in Regn[um] Lap[ideum]".

Addressed to her "dear cousin". She, her husband [Henry Lloyd Loring (c 1784-1822), first Archdeacon of Calcutta], and their baby are all "quite well". Received a "botanical wonder" from Nepal by [Nathaniel] Wallich, to be forwarded to Smith; transcribes extract from Wallich's letter to her husband describing specimen, 'Eriocoryna nidularis'; Wallich regrets Smith has already used name 'Eriocalia'. Sends compliments to her cousins Smiths, Westons, Martin, and Lloyd. Expects Nat [probably her brother, Nathaniel Kindersley] to arrive in Madras soon.

Sorry to hear Smith disappointed of the oysters he sent, and does not recall the Charles Smyth who remembers him from Oxford. Has attended only one Linnean dinner on account of his gout, they are very well attended and of a high quality. Sir Humphry Davy acquits himself well in Royal Society chair. Not anticipating Parliament having to decide what to do with the Queen [Caroline (1768-1821), wife of George IV], hopes she will not be permitted to "vent her spleen" further. Thanks for turkey.

Compliments Smith's "Grammar of Botany"; believes Smith, Corrêa, and [Robert] Brown only botanists skilled enough to tackle the subject and and Smith the only one to successfully tackle it. [Francisco Antonio] Zea and General Cortes attended the most recent Linnean dinner, "both rather mean looking men". Attended Sir Humphry Davy's conversazione, Captain [William] Parry [(1790-1855), Arctic explorer] also attended, he is writing his book in the country ["Journal of a Voyage to Discover the Northwest Passage" (1821)]. Attended Royal Society dinner and beginning of Antiquarian Society meeting; there was "a ponderous dull paper upon weights and measures" by Captain Kater. Davy a clearer orator than the Antiquarians' president, Lord Aberdeen [George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen (1784-1860)], whose election Goodenough thinks was an error of judgement.

Hopes the mistletoe berries he forwarded for Smith will succeed. Sorry to hear of Smith's troubles with his "near connections". Linnean Society disappointed by Smith's absence on 16 April. Has taken the chair at the Society a few times after [Alexander] Macleay's report of "poor [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert having forgot himself one night most strangely". Reports an accident at Westminster School, of which his son Edmund is the headmaster, involving a pupil and a glazier who "saw too much". Edmund to marry Miss Fanny Cockerell, youngest daughter of [Samuel Pepys] Cockerell [(1753-1827)] the architect and niece of Sir Charles Cockerell [1st baronet (1755-1837), banker].

Numerous accidents and illnesses having befallen his servants, including typhus fever, has thrown his household into confusion. Received a pot of 'Gloxinia speciosa' from Lady [Anne] Melville [(d 1841), wife of Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville]; at first sight the flower is similar to 'Digitalis'. Experienced a very favourable summer but their "greedy" farmers have been working on Sundays as if it were a perilous time. Goodenough reports that on the death of the Queen [Caroline (1768-1821), wife of George IV, died 7 August 1821] some initially put on deep mourning but stopped after finding the many did not; believes the Queen's trial was just used for party politics. Visited by family of the wife of his son, Edmund [the Cockerells]. Goodenough thinks the King [George IV (1762-1830)] is "enjoying himself finely" and that "the Irish were half out of their wits" [the King paid a state visit to Ireland in 1821]. Does not agree with the treatment prescribed for his granddaughter's bad back.

Sends his son's thanks for Smith's opinion on his daughter's bad back, she is being treated by Sir Henry Halford [1st baronet (1766-1844), physician] and [Thomas] Copeland [(1781-1855), surgeon]. A proposal to unite the two Linnean dining clubs is being debated after a suggested first condition the rules of the club held at the British Coffee House take precedence was rejected. Relates observations made by his son, Robert, that keeping freshly caught trout with worms causes it to putrefy, and subsequent observations made by a gentleman applying trout to the stomachs of children with and without worms, recording the same results. Has sent Smith a barrel of oysters.

Thanks for copy of Smith's "Grammar [of botany]", which "speaks the hand of a Master, concise yet full". Amused when he sees the "miserable incorrect compilations & imitations" of Smith's former work, and when Smith's "[English] Flora" is published, "the British botanist will find everything he wants in these three works of yours". If he was younger he would pursue study of the Natural Orders, and is sometimes vexed when people say the Natural System will supersede the Artificial.

He no longer has communication with Cambridge [Botanic Garden]; pleased to hear the Liverpool garden flourishes; uncertain of state of Oxford's. Pleased to see "such vast improvements" in botany and horticulture over the last 20 years, even though it renders his own work of no value. His health.

Planning to study the herbariums in Oxford before coming to London. Has heard nothing of the Linnean Society taking rooms at the late Sir Joseph Banks' home. Will send Cullum a coloured copy of his "Grammar of Botany".

Thanks for copy of Smith's "Grammar of Botany", hopes it will show the Horticultural Society "the usefulness of scientific botany". Hopes it is true that the Linnean Society are to take rooms in Soho Square [home of late Sir Joseph Banks]. Expects to see "Councillor Gage" at their assizes next week, he is an entertaining man but doubts he will succeed as a public speaker at the bar. Will feel the loss of Banks when he is next in London. The waters at Bath did not relieve his son's wife twelve-month long "rheumatic and gouty complaint".

Has been reading Smith's "Selection of the correspondence of Linnaeus", which shows "how dead Botany was in England to the middle of the last century". Believes the Linnaean system was not publicly known in England until 1762, when Hope taught it at Edinburgh and himself at Cambridge, and [William] Hudson published "Flora Anglica".

Informs Smith he has repeated his offer of resigning the Walkerian Lectureship, without having anyone in view, but assuming that Smith has now finished with Cambridge.