Thanks for Pulteney's letter of 4 [Dec 1791] and bill. Discusses arrival of remaining prints for first volume of Cavanilles' ["Icones et descriptiones plantarum quae aut sponte in Hispania crescunt"]. Gaertner dead, unclear if his 5 remaining "Centuriae" will be published. Laments death of Dr Pictairn, said that his collection will be sold.

Thanks for memoirs. News of French botanists. La Société Royale d'Agriculture.

[Draft or copy]

Apologises for delay in replyigng to Smith's letter of 22 October [1790], caused by a severe indisposition all winter. Thanks for Smith's remarks on his book. Responds to points in Smith's letter: Plukenet's authority, John Ray's manuscripts, difficulty of his acquiring books.

Would have replied to Pulteney's letter of 24 May [1791] sooner had the enclosed "Linnean Transactions" vol 1 arrived earlier. "Quite out of patience" with waiting for L'Héritier's recent publications; offers to send Pulteney's sketches to him. Discussion of recent publications, including by Allioni, Cavanilles, Hedwig, Schreber, and Labillardière.

Sends books and account of money owing to him. Keen for Pulteney to publish in "Linnean Transactions". Just returned from a trip to Lord Lewisham's [George Legge] in Kent to see 'Convolvulus speciosus'.

His brother studying medicine in England.

Sending small parcel of works to Smith by same captain who delivered Linnaean collectionns; difficulties of sending items from here. Apolgises for sending [Carl] Thunberg's dissertations bound, thus incurring heavy duties; rarity of this work, unable to get copy for Dr [Smithson] Tennant [(1761-1815), chemist].

Returned Smith's books except Linnaeus' "Scanian Journey". Has been travelling for 10 weeks with Sir George, keeping a journal and collecting, but now detained by Sir George's gout. Has possibly found new cryptogamical plants and has gathered many 'Fucus' with fruitifications.

Thanks for dried plants sent by Smith. Will send Smith whatever he thinks may be of interest from his own collection. Expresses the Turin Academy's delight at having acquired Smith as a foreign member.

Thanks for election as FMLS. Sending copies of [Anton August Heinrich] Lichtenstein's [(1753-1816), German zoologist] "Commentatio philologica de Simiarum", one if for Dr George Shaw [(1751-1813), botanist and zoologist]. Translation of [William] Smellie's [(1740-1795)] "Philosophy of Natural History" he is supervising is almost complete, does not understand how Smellie undertook the work without understanding more modern languages as a considerable portion of new discoveries would not have been accessible to him.

Thanks for "Linnean Transactions", hopes it will long continue, and plants; will try to sell some items from them though botanists few in number here; passed on enclosures to [Johan] Acrel and [Olof] Swartz. Asks after parcels he sent Smith and [Sir Joseph] Banks in May via English surgeon Griffiths. Few copies of Smith's works can be sold in Sweden but requests some copies.

Compared 'Festuca spaducea', identical to 'Anthoxantum paniculatum', with specimen in Burser's "Herbarium" vol 1 p.46; comment on 'Phalaris oryzoides'; attaches drawing of 'Dianthus virgineus' [Smith annotation: "in Herb."] from "Herbarium" vol 11 p.99.

Intends to send his recently published dissertations, and dried plants. Certain that there are plants in his collections from the Cape [of Good Hope] not in Linnaean herbarium, but until his "Flora capensis" is published difficult establish what Smith may require. Intends to send a paper for "Linnean Transactions" vol 2.

Sends brochures for Smith and Banks. The Linnaean collections.

Thanks for "Linnean Transactions" vol 1. Encloses paper to be read at the Linnean Society.

Saw [John] Lightfoot's herbarium [owned by Queen Charlotte] at Windsor yesterday; confirms that Lightfoot's 'Tomentosa' is Linnaeus' 'Filiformis' and that Smith 's "little incurod 'Carex'" from Mount Cenis is not Lightfoot's 'incuroa', however has not been able to compare. As the Uspal Society is now defunct suggests Smith makes his dedication [of Smith's translation of Linnaeus' "Flora Lapponica"] to the Swedish nation, suggests a possible wording, in Latin.

[Letter possibly incomplete: no signature or valediction]

Sending copies of his "Synopsis [of birds]" and "Index [ornithologicus]" for the Linnean Society.

Reviewed first volume of "Linnean Transactions" with [Thomas] Woodward, their opinions: Woodward thought it very thin but Cullum would be happy to see annual production of similar sized volume; [Espirit] Giorna's paper on insect wings should have been translated; [Adam] Afzelius' paper on 'Trifolium' "tedious"; wonders what the Society in Warwick Street [Society for the Promotion of Natural History ?] think of it.

'Colchium autumnale' now in flower, transcribes Latin observations on it made by a near relation of his in 1773. Suggests travel arrangements for Smith to reach his house in Suffolk, hopes Smith will return the many visits he paid Smith in Marlborough Street. Publications: asks after Hoffmann's "botanical pocket book" he has seen advertised; when "Flora Lapponica" is to be published; and if there is any thought of a new "Species plantarum". Asks Smith to pay his bill to [James] Sowerby for him.

Hopes Smith is in the country for his health and not London. Briefly saw [Richard] Salisbury and his "elegant conservatories" and "valuable library"at Chapel Allerton but made few botanical acquisitions. Requests "Linnean Transactions" to be forwarded when published and White to send him third volume of Gmelin's "Systema [naturae]".

Smith to tell [James] Sowerby that the cornfields with 'Veronica verna' are fallow this year. Found 'Pyrola minor' in abundance and less commonly 'Cicuta virosa' and 'Caucalis daucoides'. All of [Jonathan] Stokes' [(c 1755-1831), botanist] and [Thomas] Woodward's botanical work destroyed in the attack on [William] Withering's house in the Birmingham riots [the Priestly Riots of 14 to 17 July 1791 targetted religious dissenters]; expects to shortly hear from Woodward of the preservation of the valuable "Repository", comparable to Smith's and Sir Joseph Banks'.

Alphabetical confirmation and observations on specimens sent by Davall [on 12 November 1790], plants include: 'Allium angulosum', 'Phalaris phleoides', variety of 'Lotus corniculata', 'Selinum palustre', 'Agrostis calamagrostis', 'Arundo epigejos', 'Ribes petraeum', 'Coronulla minima', '[Gnaphalium] orientale', 'Hieracium molle', 'Rosa collina', 'Rosa arvensis', 'Androsaces villosa', 'Androsace lactea', 'Anemone alpina', 'Scirpus caespitosus', and 'Schoneus ferrugineus'.

Numbered observations on specimens sent by Davall in parcel of 27 February 1790, now complete. Will send 'Arundo epigejo' another time. Mislaid 'Saxifraga sedoides' so cannot give opinion.

This letter is comprised of five double folios, each individually addressed.

Recently learnt that the parcel of plants he sent on 12 November was almost lost on the Goodwin Sands. Ashamed at his lethargy in completing his book. Observations on plants he has sent Smith in previous packets: no 30 in parcel of [22 May] 1789 by Mandrot 'Arenaria verna', no 6 in [31 May] 1790 parcel by Mandrot is 'Potentilla opaca'. Stubborness of Villars, his 'Arenaria triflora' is Smith's 'Arenaria pubescens', confusion over 'Potentilla'. Wishes Linnean Society had a small botanic garden for study of obscure European plants. Extensive numbered comments on parcel of plants sent via Mr Gooch 27 February 1790 [12 folios].

Observations on 'Crepis virens', 'Anemone', 'Saxifraga burseriana', 'Carduus acanthoides', 'Carduus inclinans'. Finds it difficult to remain indoors and focus on his book. Received "Icones pictae", it surpasses Jacquin's work especially figures of 'Euphorbia punicea'. Praises "English Botany". Asks Smith's advice for dealing with dispute between Wyttenbach and Haller on one side and himself and Lechenal on the other, percipitated by his becoming involved in the Swiss flora with his own book, they have reportedly left off thiers after Lechanel's refusal to be involved; details of events and occurences, if not for Smith they would disgust him from botany. Asks Smith's advice: his Latin is insufficient for completing his book and Wyttenbach has offered to look it over, must either trust to him or give it up. His health has been poor, stems from stomach which is weak and led him to becoming costive, prescribed infusion of rhubarb in cold water and a mixture chiefly containing Minderuus' spirit. Believes he gathered 'Lichen testaceus' for Smith. If he should die his books and plants should be admitted to Smith's use, as his botanical work is done solely for his benefit. Offers his work to Smith to be published as Linnaeus published work of his disciples.

Responds to Davall's five letters [of 11 February 1791] and remarks further on plants sent by Davall on which their opinions differ. Thinks that Davall should either confide the Latin of his book to [Jacob] Wyttenbach, send his manuscript to [Samuel] Goodenough or himself, or communicate his findings in English to Linnean Society for second volume of "Linnean Transactions", so long as it appears in some form or other. Does not know 'Psora testacca' but Davall should keep it for his own work, as he would rather quote it from that to save himself trouble.