Pleased by Smith's intention to visit her on his way to Oxford. She has been so ill with a painful arm that she recently cancelled a visit from [William Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl] Fitzwilliam [(1748-1833)] and Lady Fitzwilliam.

Gave his 'Confervae' drawings to [Wilson] Lowry [(1762-1824)] to be engraved but unaware of their progress as his London contact and brother-in-law is in Bristol with his ill wife, Frankland's sister, who is being treated with foxglove. Criticises [James] Sowerby's "English Botany" of July, "he is more slovenly in his engraving as he advances". Smith forgot his habitat for 'Carex digitata' of Thorp-arch woods near Wetherby, Yorkshire, gave some to Mr Peirson and Dr White. Knows nothing of [William] Curtis' affairs and whether his works will be continued [Curtis died 7 July 1799], though expects the "[Botanical] Magazine" will be as it is so profitable.

Sir Joseph Banks is marking his sheep with earrings and amused by Frankland's method of calculating cattle breed developed from a genealogy table he created for a litter of pigs, which he copies for Smith on recto of second folio.

The moors so wet this season that riding is impossible and game is scarcer. Encloses undisclosed package. Mr Peirson an unambitious man who will be gratified by Smith's insertion of any two of his habitats; his qualities. His sister's illness: since marrying at 18 she has had 11 children, is now 39 and breeding and anxious attendance of children have worn her out; Dr Fraser diagnosed tubercules on her lungs, she came to Bristol after lowering plan, hemlock and herbane failed; Dr Moncrieffe confirmed Fraser's opinion and at first gave fruit and cooling diet alone and since then foxglove; in letter of 12th her pulse varies but is sometimes 100 and when the fever is on her cough abates and vice versa, complains of difficulty of access to the wells from Clifton, a great evil considering bad season in which he does not see fruit or corn ripening.

In Exmouth on account of his daughter; she has been unwell for months and recently more so though believes her lungs are not affected and that the disorder is nervous. His sister has received great benefit from taking foxglove under Dr Moncrieffe though just received letter that a fresh tubercule is inflaming. Beddoes currently has five ladies under his care, each in a hammock in a close room with an Alderney cow.

Will send any marine plants he finds to [James] Sowerby though presently none are washed up and the rocks are barren except for 'Fucus vesiculorus' and 'Ulva compressa', 'Rubia' on cliffs, and '[Calystegia] soldanella', 'Crygium campestre', 'Cuphorbia' and he supposes [William] Hudson's 'Ononis repens' on sand banks between cliffs and beach. Complains that having expected to live on John Dory can get nothing but small whitings and herrings every two or three days.

Sent [James] Sowerby 'Fucus tomentosus' and will send other marine plants. Observations on local plant 'Eryngium campestre'. His daughter's symptoms: regular chills followed by slight heats since last August but nothing prevalent till the last week; Dr Hunter of York and Dr Downman of Exmouth both conclude the lungs not affected but an abscess in her throat; Hunter prescribed bark and port wine but the bark disagreed with her bowels but now absorption of matter has given way to regular expectoration of pus, loss of flesh and appetite and hair, uncertainty whether the pus is from the lungs, trachea or oesophagus but supposes a large quantity can only come from the lungs. Delightful climate. Lady East reads Sertularice and [John] Ellis [(1710-1776), botanist] daily.

Gave Smith's remembrances to Sir William and Lady East, she is a "most charming woman" who received great benefit from being in Exmouth. Sir William has recommended steaming, milk and figs or some softening effluvia for his daughter to promote suppuration and healing of the abscess which now certainly lies in the throat. His sister Mrs Nicholas has returned to London and Dr Moncrieffe prescribes continued use of foxglove though her stomach is destroyed. Bad weather destroyed 'Euphorbia paralias' he found though slowly sending 'Fucus' to [James] Sowerby. Has 'Fucus pulmatus' Lightfoot and is satisfied from his observations at Scarborough, [Yorkshire], that the species is distinct; observations on other varities including 'F. coriaceus', 'F. tureicus', and 'F. hepaticus'. Will save 'Lichen caliendrinus' to "ornament" Smith's head next anniversary. Encloses full sized specimen of Porteus 'Fucus ceranoides' of [William] Hudson and will collect all varieties for Sowerby; thinks he has seen the "Dyers Lichen" figured in "English Botany" but unable to get it off the rock.

Sir William asks what 'Laver' is, being convinced that it is "sea liverwort" and not 'Ulva lactua' of modern botanists.

Received Smith's letter of 19 [April]; sorry to hear the indifferent accounts of Smith's sister. Determined not to quit this house though this winter has been severe: lost many sheep and has already sold 330 skins, thinks corn will be scarce and bad, and has not sown his oats due to the wet. His daughter [Mariamne Johnes] sending in another letter Conchium flower that Smith requested some time ago. Asks Smith to acquire for him from Bristol "this famous oxygenated muriatic acid that gives such a powerful stimulus to seeds".

Sees that Dr [Robert John] Thornton [(c 1768-1837), physician and writer on botany] has "done wonders" with Dr [Thomas] Beddoes' [(1760-1808), chemist and physician] airs [Beddoes founded the Pneumatic Institute, which advocated the inhalation of "factitious airs" as a medical treatment]; "they will make a new & grand epocha in medicine" and "surely he deserves more thanks than this ungrateful nation will give him". Wonders if they would do any good for his daughter in reducing the tumours she has near the chin and on some of her glands; her back is now almost flat.

Davies still wants Croft though he is "a poor devil & not deserving of it" but has a proposal for another estate which if it succeeds will make him comfortable.

Gladly accepts Smith's proposal to have [Thomas] Beddoes' [(1760-1808), chemist and physician] call on him, as since hearing of Beddoes giving himself a dangerous disorder to try the effect of medicine "for the benefit of mankind" would be proud to know him. Read Beddoes' "[History of] Isaac Jenkins" [story exhibiting the evils of drunkeness] with great pleasure and requests copies for distribution amongst English readers here, and with Beddoes' permission will ask his parson to try and translate it into Welsh as he believes it will do much good.

Mrs Johnes thanks Smith for ordering plants. Hoping for this year to put an end to his "money distresses". Mrs Johnes very unwell and they cannot get a change of air on account of their "little invalid" [his daughter, Mariamne Johnes]. Mr Williams thinks Mariamne's back is well and that one of the lower vertebrae is prominent, and she has outgrown her machine; describes her other symptoms, which alarm him. He is unwell, too, and asks if Beddoes could be compelled to hasten his tour and visit early for the good of his house. Sorry Smith's sister-in-law continues "so ill".

Sorry for the loss Smith had at Clifton, though her disorder was such that Smith must have been prepared. Sold Croft for £10,000 less than he expected so must make large sacrifices at Hafod; determined to be free from uncertainty and is to make a "sinking fund" in larch plantations, about which he is "even more wild" than [James] Anderson and intends to plant a million annually for as long as he has room. Todd [his gardener] has been very fortunate year in raising them from seed.

His daughter's [Mariamne Johnes] health improved since Jones came with an improved machine and she can now walk without crutches. She drinks three half pints of the Llanwated waters every day, which are sulpherous and have "done miracles" in several cases, and Jones is confident of her perferct recovery as long as she keeps away from surgeons. Weather uncommonly hot; hawthorns and crabs in "high beauty" and woods are like flower gardens.

Received Smith's Bristol letter. Repeats from his last letter his financial losses in sale of Croft, but now finds that he cannot get the money coming to him as a neglected fine has been found. Wrote to his solicitor about Smith's draft but cannot as yet get the money unlocked.

His daughter [Mariamne Johnes] "going on well" and now walks without crutches. Mr Abernethy advises for her, via Dr [David] Davies, seabathing and an enlargement of the tissues, but Johnes attributes the swelling in her thigh to sea bathing two years ago; "they seem all in the dark".

Lists previous members of Parliament for Radnorshire, from Sir Henry Howarth to the present day. Curious to hear anything of Sir George Chad, who is either "an extraordinary friendly man, or a consunmate charlatan", after he assisted Hanbury Williams [possibly Johnes' brother-in-law, married to his sister Eliza] with debt-planning and relieved him of his troubles.

Afraid a letter to Smith lost, in which he informed Smith of Rose's [?] "friendly and handsome conduct" relative to the auditorship, which is to be placed on same footing with the English auditors and will be abolished after their deaths [Johnes was audior of the land revenues in Wales], and also informed him of receiving grant of a large tract of waste land full of minerals.

His daughter [Mariamne Johnes] doing "vastly well" and sang for the first time in two years. Recent visitors at home.

Lost letters. Thinks the "Augustan flattery" of Malta and Sciliy superior to the "bombasty" of Spain. His daughter [Mariamne Johnes] thanks Smith for the seeds he sent; she is now translating and if he does not finish Froissart [(c 1337-c 1405), French chronicler] himself thinks she will be a "worthy successor". His growing enthusiasm for farming; building a "feeding house" to his own plan and wants a good weighing machine for live beasts, asks for recommendation from one of Smith's "great farmers".

Thanks for Smith's last two letters and the seeds. Thanks Smith's brother for the fearnoughts [thick woolen overcoats] which are "very acceptable for our poor"'; requests annual supply. All improving with him and his family: his daughter's [Mariamne Johnes] health better daily, as well as her wisdom, status and beauty; his wife recovering quickly from a very severe cold; his own health the best for ages, which he attributes to the wines from Smith's friend, Voght; his farm "answering amazingly"; all his sales have been successful; and if he gets his asking price for an estate he is selling he will be "clear", after which he can concentrate on translating Froissart [(c 1337-c 1405), French chronicler].

Believes that Lloyd, a "dirty dog of a parson" with a curacy in Norfolk, started the rumour that he was to sell Hafod to Mr Crowe.

Sent [John] Davies at Cambridge a bank post bill for £45 of the money collected for [Richard] Relhan's herbarium. Printer of "Linnean Transctions" has no copy to proceed with unless Smith sends his paper on 'Mentha' or Persoon's; current volume about 160 pages; desireable but not necessary for future volumes to be of a similar size.

Pleased to hear of good prospect for health of his sister, Fanny, being treated by Dr Lubbock, would have preferred similar account for Mrs Fred Smith. [William] Withering has sent a parcel of specimens to Smith in London, including possible new species of 'Drosera'; notes. Hopes Smith examined the 'Fucus capensis' he sent; observations on discharge of seeds and capsules. Requests specimens of [Archibald] Menzies' North American 'Fucus' species; [Dawson] Turner has acquired some. Heavy snow.

Postpones their meeting; surprised Smith is already thinking of returning to London. Glad Smith is named editor of [John] Sibthorp's "Flora Graeca"; it will give Sibthorp more credit; Smith has the notes from his examination of Tournefort's herbarium at Paris; and will add an "additional leaf" to Smith's "wreath, already sufficiently full". Poor health of Smith's sister, Fanny, and sister-in-law, [Mrs Frederick Smith]. Thanks for parcel from [William] Withering, which contained seed of 'Bromus diandrus', which could become a valuable grass to sow for sheep pasture; 'Anthoxanthum verna' has similar properties; asks if Smith knows anyone willing to experiment with 'Poa annua' for same end.

Thanks Smith for his attention in identifying 'Anchusa officinalis', describes its habitat and opinion on whether it is indigenous. Has left instructions with a friend to send specimens to [James] Sowerby, as requested. Lord Valentia [George Annesley] hopes to soon see Smith in London.

Honoured to be mentioned in "English Botany" but uneasy lest he erroneously judged 'Anchusa officinalis' indigenous. Describes habitat of a 'Gnaphalium margaritaceum' he has found and believes is indigenous, offers to send specimens. Believes a 'Lonicera caprifolium' in Elsfield Wood, Oxford, is indigenous there, criticises [John] Randolph, Bishop of Oxford, for believing it is a variety of common honeysuckle. Long list of habitats of rare plants found this year [by Butt].

Thanks Smith for letters and offer of admitance to the Linnean Society, plans to visit London in 1800. Due to the slow progress of his botanical pursuits some of his discoveries have been anticipated by [James] Dickson and others. Researches have been confined to Aberdeenshire, Mearnshire and Angushire but this includes the greater part of the "Flora Scotica", rich in 'Gramina' and 'Carices' ['Carex']. Has an almost complete collection of Scottish grasses but had trouble with 'Carex'. Anticipates publication of [Samuel] Goodenough's "Monographia" [unidentified]. Anticipates publication of "Flora Britannica" and the positive effect it will have on the difficult parts of British botany. Praises "Linnean Transactions". Has sent specimens for comment of most of his 'Carices' including a 'Festuca duriuscula' or 'Festuca rubra'. Having compared inland and maritime specimens of 'Silene marita' argues that it belongs in its old genus 'Cucubalus'.

Sends specimens of a local species of 'Lotus' that is not the 'Lotus angustissimus' of Bauhin or Linnaeus, and has blossoms resembling 'Medicago polymorpha arabica'. Detailed description and habitat information. From long observation concludes that two distinct species are included under 'Lotus corniculatus', suggests 'Lotus gibbus' and 'Lotus patulus' and gives detailed description and habitat information of each. Detailed description and habitat of local 'Rubia' and 'Melittis melissophyllum'. 'Brassica monensis' of [Dillenius'] "Hortus Elthamensis" grows abundantly, Lightfoot's plant resembles 'Erica monensis' in "Herbal" of Bobart or Merison at Oxford and believes it to be a different plant, in a detailed description remarks that the leaves resemble 'Sisymbrium nasturtium'. Praises Smith and "English Botany". Remarks that he has found 'Euphorbia lathyris' twice in a "truly wild state". On the last page 'Lotus diffusus' is noted, possibly in Smith's hand.