His last letter 12 February [1787]. Account of his [and William Younge's] time at Rome, including the Carnival; saw the Pretender every day [Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720-1788), Jacobite claimant to British throne], a "heavy, sickly looking man" who "drinks very hard"; lists the sights they have seen in Rome; will leave Rome "with more regret" than he ever left any place. Account of journey from Rome to Naples. Account of presentation to and evening with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester [Prince William Henry (1743-1805) and Maria Walpole (1736-1807)]. Description of a memorial mass for the Abbé de Bourbon they attended. Opinion of town and people of Naples. Can see Vesuvius from his window.

Forgot to mention that they got into the Pope's chapel on Ash Wednesday; his opinon of the Pope.

Received Smith's letter of 2 [February 1787]. Regrets not seeing their "mutual best friend", [Samuel] Goodenough, as much as he would like to; they have described about 200 new British insect species but struggle without reference to the Linnaean collections. He has not said anything of the new Society [Linnean Society] other than to [John] Lyon of Dover, [Kent], who has despaired of the present one [Society for the Promotion of Natural History] and is committed to the new.

Showed Sir Joseph Banks the section of Smith's letter concerning [Lazzaro] Spallanzani [(1729-1799), natural historian] [on dispute between Spallanzani and Giovanni Scopoli over mismanagement of the Univsersity of Pavia museum; Smith was a supporter of Scopoli]; Banks read it aloud to the gentlemen present, including [William] Hudson, L'Héritier, [Olof] Swartz, and [Jonas] Dryander. Swartz has been collecting Jamaican plants and is comparing them with Banks' West India herbarium.

Thanks Smith for obtaining some of his 'Lepidotera' desiderata; requests further species. Progress of [William] Jones figures of same; received parcel of insects from China but only contained two 'Papilio' not yet figured by Jones. Discusses [John] Latham's "Le Courent Bris" from his ["General synopsis of birds"]. [James] Dickson had a successful natural history excursion in north of Britain but all his findings were lost in wreck off Dutch coast. A valuable new entomological correspondent, and others.

Publication of [William] Curtis' "Botanical Magazine". Recent appointments, including at [Society for Promotion of Natural History] and East India Company. Wishes he could have joined Smith on his "7 golden days" in Florence; wishes he had an independent fortune of his own and thinks Smith's situation a "most enchanting one". Comments on Spallanzani and Scopoli dispute.