Death of Lady Brownlow [Sophia Brownlow (1788-1814) wife of John Cust, 1st Earl Brownlow, and daughter of Sir Abraham Hume] of a "rheumatick fever". Sir Abraham Hume's reaction. Believes Smith's indisposition a result of "this Siberian winter". Health of various friends including [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert, Sir Joseph Banks, and [Samuel Goodenough].

Eager to hear about [Alexander von] Humboldt as soon as he appears at Soho Square. Has nearly the whole of [Thomas] Nuttall's [(1786-1859)] collection of [living] plants.

Congratulates Smith on knighthood. Has some of [Thomas] Nuttall's [(1786-1859)] living plants from the banks of the Missouri, including 'Jussieua angulata' and 'Mentzelia oligosma', hopes to be able to confirm Smith's conjecture that it is the same genus as 'Loasa'. Received [Matthew] Flinders' "Voyage [to Terra Australis]", would like Smith's opinion of [Robert] Brown's observations on natural order. Has 'Lathyrus amplicarpos' in flower answering to the "old Morrison" description, asks if Smith described it from a dyed specimen in the "Encyclopedia" [Abraham Rees' "Cyclopedia"].

Thanks for £31 for George Don's family, visited them in Forfar with [Robert] Brown [(c 1767-1845)] of the Perth nurseries, comments on the opposing characteristics of Don's two grown up sons: the elder, [George Don (1798-1856)], is "senseless, stubborn, unfeeling", whilst the younger, [David Don (1799-1841)], is "pliable, full of attachment [...], and really clever". "The Committee" failed to convince the eldest to "carry on the garden", fears it will be abandoned and that the son will go into the army, navy, or worse. Will try and get the younger son attached to a nursery or into Kew. Congratulates Smith on completion of "English Botany". Maughan has proved 'Solidago lanceolata' as indigenous, still has his own doubts. Results of an experiment for growing 'Fucus esculentus' at Car Rock. A "curious fact in vegetable physiology" concerning yellow leaved ash seedlings "inoculated by the insertion of [a] diseased bud". Neill's opinion of "Life and Death of a Monkey [or the Village of Alton: a tale for young persons" an anonymous work by "A Lady" published in London in 1814].

He has been confined to his house for two months with "debility & headaches", a consequence of influenza. His campaign [for botany professorship] is stationary; the present Cambridge vice-chancellor [John Davie] is not a friend so it is not expedient for [Thomas] Martyn to resign, but believes his interest is working as it is to their own concern to have an active professor. Nothing to be done with his knighthood until he is sure of Cambridge. Delayed in sending papers for Linnean Society meeting.

Smith's candidature for Botany Professorship at Cambridge University. [Richard] Relhan has enquired after a report that [Martyn] is resigning in Smith's favour. Smith right in gaining support from outside Cambridge. Discusses process of Cambridge elections and reiterates Dr [Richard] Walker's [(1679-1764) founder of Cambridge Botanic Garden] provision in his gift of the lectureship that a foreigner may be elected if sufficiently qualified.

Smith's candidature for Botany Professorship at Cambridge University. Approves of Smith's plan to only apply for Walkerian lecturership at present and await opportunity of applying for professorship. Equates Smith's situation to hostility his father [John Martyn (1699-1768) Cambridge professor of botany 1732-1762] faced when applying for professorship.

Brief account of his knighthood by the Prince Regent [later George IV (1762-1830)], which was entirely managed by Lord Sidmouth [Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth (1757-1844), statesman]. Encloses paragraph [extant] detailing this for insertion in the newspapers.

Note detailing Smith's knighthood.

Smith's candidature for Botany Professorship at Cambridge University. Had hoped Smith's letter would request his resignation as he is anxious about the governors of St John's and is too ill to go to Cambridge to vote.

Returns proof sheets. Macleay should never expect anything from him "by return of post" as their letters are not delivered in enough time. Uncertain whether his "Sir-ship" should appear in the title and headlines of his paper, as though the paper was written long before his knighthood he believes the author should have the designation belonging to him at the time the paper is published; leaves decision to Macleay. [Thomas William] Coke to send Macleay some game on his behalf. Hopes Macleay received paper he forwarded by [Constantine Rafinesque] Schmaltz.

Sorry to hear Macleay has been "attacked by my old enemy in the lungs", warns him to be careful in the severe weather, which is much like that which made him so ill in 1812. Will soon send a paper on "fishes from America" [by Samuel Latham Mitchill] for Linnean Society meeting. Requests Macleay's servant to deliver two letters to Fludyer Street, [London, home of George D'Oyly].

Smith's candidature for Botany Professorship at Cambridge University. Transcribes extract from letter received from Provost of King's College stating that he has decided not to promise his vote to anyone until a vacancy is actually open, so as to be able to compare the merits of the respective candidates.

Smith's candidature for Botany Professorship at Cambridge University. Is supporting "R" [Richard Relhan] instead of Smith for professorship in order not to compromise himself, despite believing Smith to be better qualified. Believes the vice-chancellor [George Thackeray] will do the best thing for the university. Glad to hear that the Master of Caius College [Martin Davy] is not as ill as reported. Suffering from ill health himself.

Sending Smith a new species of 'Sparganium', gathered in 1808 ago on Zetland [Shetland]; observations; believes it was referred to by Mr Neill in his "Tour to Orkney and Zetland", transcribes Neill's comments. Proposes name 'S. longifolium'.

Questions Smith's reference of [Fredric] Hasselquist [(1722-1752) Swedish naturalist] as the authority for his claim at Royal Institution lecture that the biblical "lily of the fields" of Matthew 6:28 is 'Amaryllis lutea'. The lily is also mentioned in the Song of Soloman and biblical commentators speak of the lily as common in Palestine. Wishes to determine whether the lily is a garden or wild flower [for the annotated Bible D'Oyly prepared with Richard Mant for publication by the Society for Promotion of Christian Knowledge known as "D'Oyly and Mant's Bible" (1814 and later editions)].

A monograph on Saxifrages ready for publication; asks Smith to assist in procuring subscribers.

Congratulates Smith on his knighthood. Suffering from angina pectoris, believes that it is not always fatal and refers to two cases mentioned by Parry in which one patient died in a fall and the other took arsenic by mistake. Asks after his paper on ivy.

Following resumption of communications between Italy and England is sending copies of his works "Botanicon Etruscum" and "Observationes in varias Trifoliorum species", and [Georgio] Gallesio's "Traite du citrus".

Sends catalogue of plants [possibly "Catalogus Horti. Regii. Botanici. Landishuthi Bojurum 1810"], offers to send any plants Smith desires.

Sends 9 more drawings for "Flora Graeca" and 4 drawings to finish present volume of "English botany"; a "melancholy feeling" at finishing that work. Informed by David Booth George Don's death from putrid sore throat; his family left in poverty; has collected money for them; the family wish to sell the plants in his garden before they are dug up, asks for advice from [James] Dickson and the Andersons; Dawson Turner "very bountiful as usual, to this poor family". [William Jackson] Hooker to be married to Turner's eldest daughter [Maria Sarah (1797-1872)].

[Draft of letter in Sowerby's hand]: relates Don's death and plight of family and seeks recommendations for the family to sell the plants.

[Notes in pencil]: sums of money collected by Smith for Mrs Don.