Introduces himself; thanks for being made ALS through "polite interference" of [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert. Praises Smith's works; his "Icones pictae" and "Spicilegium [botanicum]" are the "most superb botanic publications" he ever saw, and is anxious to receive all of Smith's works as they are published; asks if a new number of "Linnaeus' herbarium" has been published yet ["Icones plantarum"].

Forced to give up his attempt to publish a "Flora Dublinensis" for want of encouragement, but asks Smith's opinion of the sample he sent Messrs White [publishers]; Sir Joseph Banks thought it had "no particular merit", though he knows no other good extant figure of 'Hyoscyamus niger'. Now attempting to publish a "Flora Hibernica" without figures. Asks after possibility of Ireland receiving a copy of Banks' edition of Kaempfer's "Icones selectae". Praises Smith's "Introductory Discourse" in "Linnean Transactions".

Sends his 'Hirudo' paper for publication in "Linnean Transactions". His 'Hirudo nigra' same as the 'Hirudo complanata' in [George] Shaw's 'Hirudo viridis' paper, believes this 'H. complanata' is not the same as Linnaeus' and asks Smith to show Shaw the paper for his judgement. States that his three species are "not good 'Hirudines', if we [...] stick to the Linnaean definitions".

[Nicholas] Gwyn informed him of Smith's introduction to the King and Queen [George III (1738-1820) and Charlotte (1744-1818)], hopes it proves useful. Is collecting insects not described by Linnaeus to send to Smith. Asks if [James] Sowerby's drawing of the leeches included 'Hirudo nigra'. Requests copies of Smith's "Spicilegium" for himself, and a copy of this and Sir William Jones' "Tract on the legal method of suppressing riots" for Gwyn.