Received Smith's letter and enclosure of [Casper von] Voght's letter to Smith; his prices for wine are very satisfactory. Sorry Mr Gurney made so short a stay as he liked him and his family very much. Dr [James] Anderson's health very indifferent. Received a "very handsome" letter from [Thomas] Pennant enclosing one to Anderson. [Richard] Warner [(1763-1857), antiquary] as "rapid a publisher as he is a walker" and expects an account of his summer travels next spring [he visited Hafod], though did not like the company he brought with him. Advises Smith to hasten publication of his own "Tour" in case he is forestalled.

Many of his Russian seeds have come up. They have had finest harvest weather possible but fears incoming rain, hopes it clears before [Richard Payne] Knight [(1750-1824), classicist] visit, who has just lost his mother. Also expecting [Charles Howard, 11th] Duke of Norfolk [(1746-1815)] shortly. His "poor girl" [daughter, Mariamne Johnes] goes on "much as usual", and Dr [David] Davies and Mr Williams think her general health recovered: her back is flatter but tumour remains and she cannot walk in spite of constantly wearing Jones' machine and though they hear of many recovering "we seem to stand still". Fears French gaining "a foothold in Ireland". Asks if Smith has read [William] Eton's "Survey of Turkey", which has greatly amused him, "what rascals they must be!".

Received Smith's letter of 14 [September]. Yet to hear satisfactory answer about his bottles of wine: he used to import all his French wines and finds it strange that wines from Hamburg should be excepted, though the duty of 4 shillings per dozen is a prohibition except to "very extravagant fellows like myself". His daughter [Mariamne Johnes] thanks Smith for the biscuits; her health is the same but Mr Jones thinks her tumour is much reduced, though she cannot walk. Visits by Mr Galton, [Richard Payne] Knight [(1750-1824), classicist] and [Charles Howard, 11th] Duke of Norfolk [(1746-1815)] prove "that assessed taxes and all the associations armed or unarmed do not keep people at home".

Asks if Smith has seen article in the "Philosophical Magazine" on germination of old seeds with oxygenated muriatic acid; [Nikolaus] Jacquin of Vienna has made germ seeds of 100 and 120 years old. Intends to try it himself this spring and asks Smith to inquire of his chemical friends about making it cheap enough for "us common farmers to besprinkle our turnip seeds" as he believes it would prevent fly and slug. Ponders on the possibility of it being applied to humans in conjunction with article in another magazine in which a French man states he can make people live to the age of the patriarchs.