Thanks for Smith's letter of 17 March [1789]. Explains the difficulties he has in pursuing botany: too busy with his medical practice to botanise in local area, and too far from London to study exotics, which confines his studies to books, of which he has none.

Informed by [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert of formation of the Linnean Society, thanks Smith for invitation to join and asks to pay his subscription as a sum rather than annually. Thanks for Smith's botanical information, as he no longer has a London botanical correspondent. Had hoped that [Thomas] Marsham's scheme would have "comprehended the whole Fauna", as on plan of "Fauna Suecica". Requests information on Smith's "Plantarum icones".

Signed [Josef Franz] Jacquin's Royal Society nomination certificate; offers to show Jacquin Dorset if his tour of Britain takes him west. Thanks Smith for invitation to view Linnaean collections.

Thanks for favours Smith has gone out of his way for. Requests any of Smith's writings on Linnaeus he might have produced since returning from his travels, and will advertise "Icones pictae plantarum rariorum". He has searched in vain for [James] Barbut's [(1711-1788), naturalist] "Genera insectorum" and "Genera vermium", and [James] Bolton's [(1735-1799), botanist] "History of fungusses".

80 anatomical wax models now complete, but many remain before the work is completed, and he has decided to publish it as a whole rather than in sections. Requests Smith's assistance in procuring a copy of Sir Joseph Banks' just published "sketches of plants".

Letter is written around two botanical plates.

[Jacques] Dorthes of Montpellier, [France], an excellent correspondent for Davall. Proposing [Dominique] Villars a FMLS on strength of his book and has initiated correspondence. [Jean Louis Antoine] Reynier's [(1762-1824), botanist] "impertinent" to think Davall should write a continuation of his "silly Memoirs". Requests specimen of 'Carex tomentosa'. Discusses observations on 'Chenopodium polyspermum' in Davall's last letter, thinks a discovery has been made. Requests specimen of Leers' 'Hypericum dubium' to compare against his '[Hypericum] perfoliatum'.

The King [George III (1738-1820)] went "in great state" to St Paul's cathedral yesterday to give thanks for his recovery. Kew catalogue nearly complete, as is his own "[Plantarum] Icones" and "Rudbeck[ianae]". Beginning short course of botanical lectures on 5th May; [William] Curtis now too rich to lecture. Has fruits of Sir Joseph Banks to send [Jacob] Wyttenbach. Davall's 'Draba saxatilis' should be called 'Draba stellata' as published by [Nikolaus] Jacquin in "Enumeratio" pp.113 and 256. Lord Gainsborough [Henry Noel] elected Honorary Member at Linnean Society anniversary meeting. Swiss plants much esteemed in England; Forsyth has lately brought over a large collection. [Jonas] Dryander has ensured a 'Smithia sensitivia' will be in Kew catalogue. L'Heritier has acted "shabbily" by dating his monograph on 'Columniferae' 1785 so as to appear as though written before [Antonio José] Cavanille's book on same, they are having a dispute in "Journal de Paris"; Dryander openly attacks L'Heritier as "one of the most sneaking unprincipled of men".