Long list of specimens with habitats sent to Smith [possibly two different letters].

The 'Veronica' he gathered on the way to the Giant's Hole [St Vincents Rock, near Bristol] was in a very dangerous spot and considerably larger than that figured in "English Botany", will send this specimen if he cannot find another at home. Briefly saw Sir Joseph Banks yesterday.

Received new "Linnean Transactions", criticises [Robert] Teesdale's paper [ 'A Supplement to the Plantae Eboracenses'] for being too long; doubts propriety of giving whole floras. An attempted robbery at Hall Place whilst he was in Exmouth, [Devon]. Has anonymously published a six penny pamphlet "Cautions to young sportsmen" in attempt to prevent gun accidents, inspired by Lord Andover's accident [Charles Nevinson Howard, Viscount Andover (1775-1800), eldest son of John Howard, 15th Earl of Suffolk, killed by accidental discharge of his fowling piece], and that there is no advice of this kind in print except single line in [Thomas] Page's "Art of Shooting"; two gunmakers have seen and find no fault with it.

There is an account of Lord Andover's death, written by Mr Coke's desire, in January's "Gentleman's Magazine".

Hopes his pamphlet "Cautions to young sportsmen" is widely circulated and prevents accidents; only criticism received is that it is too short, the gunmakers Manton in Dover Street and Joseph Manton in Davies Street make no objections in spite of its attack on double guns, which form greater part of their profits. Will put his name to a second edition if the 750 copies sell and regrets not already doing so. Criticises fashion for books to include engraving of the author and mocks Charles Small Pybus' [(1766-1810), politician] poem "The Sovereign" supposing "he expects some of the Russian Court Ladies to send for him [...] in consequence of the beauty of his appearance, at the head of his verses".

Page's book printed for Scutcherd & Whitaker, details of Norwich printing.

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.

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.

His sister Mrs Nicholas has died, "a sad instance of the inefficacy of Foxglove taken early & steadily". Reviews "English Botany" for November and December: wishes 'Saxifraga umbrosa' leaves were figured larger; observed 'Veronica hybrida' and believes it is the same as the 'Veronica spicata' growing near Giant's Hole on St Vincent's Rocks [near Bristol], [William] Curtis also doubted it was 'spicata'.

Has perfect specimens from [William] Hudson of 'Corrigiola'. Hudson did not introduce 'Saxifraga umbrosa' in his "Flora [Anglica]" as it was on a list of plants which Dr [Richard] Richardson [(1663-1741), physician and botanist] of Birely, [Yorkshire], had commissioned to be planted in retired places so that he could afterwards discover them.

Encloses drawings; has no female florets on his 'Eriocaulon sexangulare' , requests Smith's assistance. Sir Joseph Banks and [James] Dickson think the 'Ribes petraeum' in "English botany" is only a variety of 'R. rubrum'; argues against this, small ink sketch. Smith should expect Dickson's "Fasciculus [plantarum cryptogamicarum Britanniae]" soon as he is working on the plates. Encloses a new 'Lichen'. Asks after the 'Ulva' he previously sent

Thanks for Smith's two letters; his alarm was less by the time the first arrived and his daughter [Mariamne Johnes] has recovered quickly; [Thomas] Beddoes [(1760-1808), chemist and physician] was right in speaking out his mind and now rises in his opinion, and Mariamne is now happier than she has been in last six months. Beddoes prescribed her small doses of the 'Calx muricata' and a drop of muriatic acid twice a day, which works "wonderfully well"; she has no phlegm or cough though at one point Beddoes feared tuberculosis; her activities. Delighted with Bristol and its environs, "the air & water have a peculiar softness". Asks [Thomas] Marsham to send sixth volume of "Linnean Transactions".

Thanks for copy of "Flora [Britannica ?]"; glad to hear of Smith's improved health. His daughter [Mariamne Johnes] was ill whilst he was away but [Thomas] Beddoes [(1760-1808), chemist and physician] is "exceedingly attentive to her". Lord Lansdowne says that the Borghesi and two other "fine collections" are coming to England for sale, and that £6000 was asked for the "Gladiator".

Use of Latin terminology. Forgot to mention his promtion to the Lieutenancy. The patent is "working out" and he will have to go to London to "kiss hands". Has been made "quite comfortable" by the abolition of the auditorships in the last session of Parliament, as he has been placed on a similar footing with those who were appointed for life, for "no minister had ever any bowels". His sister frequently visits from Bath, [Somerset], and Mr Williams, [her husband ?] is in London: they have "been sadly cheated" but Smith's countryman, Sir George Chad, "behaved most handsomely" and got them out of a "a dreadful scrape".

Received Smith's letter; returns [James] Anderson's letter and sends £2 for Linnean Society subscription. Smith's seeds on the way; applies adage "that the more one has the more one desires" to plants. Botany Bay seeds do "vastly well" and asks if any attempts have been made to naturalise them. Has been sending out and reprinting a paper in an attempt to make an "excellent mode of improvement as public as possible" and also busy working on Froissart [(c 1337-c 1405), French chronicler] and printing his "Advice to Tenants".

His family all well and they hope all danger has passed. "Poor little Jones" [medical practitioner attendant on his daughter, Mariamne Johnes] suffered a bad accident on journey to Hafod when the mail coach turned over and lacerated his leg. A passage in Latin for Smith's amusement.

Thanks for Smith's letters of 24 May and 4 June. Obliged to Sir Thomas Frankland's enquiries; sorry he has had such losses and recalls dining with him and his family at Edward's five years ago; "they were beautiful girls but I did not then think them in such danger". Charles Greville [(1749-1809), mineralogist and horticulturist] has promised Mrs Johnes a true peony when he has propogated it. Critises Symmons' character for "wanting everything another has", which reminds him of "Bonielli's speech of his cousin LaFayette".

Smith's intentions regarding Hafod views are "magnificent" and thinks if they are done well and limited in number they will sell well. Intends to have a small map of his grounds made which Smith may have for the work ["A tour to Hafod, in Cardiganshire" (1810)] .

[Dr Thomas] Beddoes [(1760-1808), chemist and physician] has "behaved vastly well indeed" and his patient, [Mariamne Johnes], is so improved Smith would not know her. Return to Hafod delayed in case Mariamne would be exhausted by the numbers who might come to her birthday. Calx muricata must be "an extraordinary good medicine"; Mariamne's recovery owed to it. Beddoes made a surprising cure of Dr Briggs, from Ceylon, who had lost 20 pounds of blood and given up on by London practitioners; Beddoes used 'Digitalis' in very small quantities and is to publish the case. Recommends Smith read "Memories of Modern Philosophers" 2, written by a woman.

Stayed in London longer than expected for his installation as Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire. Congratulates Smith's family on his sister's marriage. Dined with Lady de Clifford [Sophia Southwell]; relates story of a banker who killed her Wana Ta by trying to cut off a slip of it. Hanbury Williams [Johnes' brother-in-law ?] was dying in London from a bladder and urethea complaint till his sister came to him, now recovering; Williams' family have treated them "cruelly" and by their behaviour to himself [Johnes] they have gained £30,000.

Asks where the Hafod views are being engraved as he would like to see a specimen before leaving London; hopes the map of the grounds will be fine, has ordered as many for Smith's 100 copies [for Smith's "A tour to Hafod, in Cardiganshire" (1810)]. Believes Edwards has transferred all the periodical publications to Evans.

Received Smith's letter of 14 [September]. Spent the week with "our friend Edwards" and a French friend of his, who confirmed suspicions that they were ignorant of what was happening in France; it would take a volume "as big as Boswell's "Life of Johnson" to inform Smith of all the information he learnt. Unluckily, Mariamne's new master, Signor Bianchi, came whilst they were staying and "the Frenchman & Italian were in a constant scene of war". Convinced he will like the plates of Hafod, and Edwards is pushing for 250 copies as he is sure they will sell.

Thanks for the seeds. Asks if Smith thinks maize will grow here, as he wishes to introduce polenta to his poor people, and the stalks would feed pigs. Will finish his first volume of Froissart [(c 1337-c 1405), French chronicler] before Christmas. Requests same quantity of fearnought [thick cloth for overcoats] as last year.

Under another cover sends Smith a specimen of a mineral found here which none of the miners know what it is. Asks the value of manganese and best market for it. Anticipates valuable deposits of lead and copper in Beulahwalter hill opposite his house, though it will spoil the scenery and cause a contest between avarice and pleasure. [Thomas] Beddoes [(1760-1808), chemist and physician] has had a sever ague.

Health of himself and Mrs Manning [Woodward's mother-in-law]; her symptoms. Thanks for two numbers of [James Sowerby's] "Fungi". Will contribute to funds for Smith's "benevolent" design to memory of [Charles] Bryant [(d 1799)]. Unsure of how [William] Withering's specimens are to be disposed of following his death. [John] Stackhouse intends to visit him, Smith, and [Dawson] Turner in Norfolk. Thanks for two 'Carex' specimens.

Thanks for "Linnean Transactions" [vol 5]. They have been confined all winter, and Mrs Manning [Woodward's mother-in-law] confined entirely to her room; symptoms; her asthma has changed from dry to moist. Enjoyed Smith's paper on 'Mentha', but without specimens to compare it against will never master the subject; the rest of the volume not so interesting, excepting [William] Kirby's papers, and "scanty".

Thanks for ["Compendium florae Britannicae"]; praises Smith's writing and "unassuming display of knowledge", which is the opposite of modern authors, who "promise mountains, & very often produce not even molehills". Recently suffered from gout in his left hand. Sending copy of rare [John] Ray work after noticing scarcity of his works in Linnean Society library catalogue [see RelatedMaterial below].

Difficulty of acquiring good specimens of 'Lichen tenuissimus' to send [John] Pitchford after the banks of it were so "thoroughly pillaged" by Dawson Turner and Dr Nöder; observations. Glad Smith liked his pamphlet of letters [subject unclear].

Pleased that Smith found new plants amongst the specimens Beattie sent, including 'Carices' [Carex] that previously frustrated Beattie. Doubts over 'Carex' negated. Queries the distinction between 'Carex micheliana' and 'Carex recurva'. Has recently found 'Mercurialis peren' with male and female flowers and 'Carex incurva' in the Links of Aberdeen, detailed observation of it and shall send specimens in all stages of growth. Lists habitats of 'Carex micheliana', 'Carex binervis', 'Carex levigata', 'Carex davalliana', 'Carex fulva', and 'Carex paniculata'. Asks whether Smith has decided on the 'Polypodium' Beattie called 'rhaticum'. Has caused a lichen like 'Lichen chrysophthalmos' to be sent to [James] Sowerby but it may be a variety of 'Lichen ciliaris'.