Has finished work on Linnaeus' autobiography "Life of Linnaeus" and has almost finished translation into Engish. Asks Smith to find a bookseller in London willing to publish the translation.

Thanks for gift of Smith's "Compendium florae Britannicae" and Linnaeus' "Orbis eruditi Judicium" and "Observationes in Regnum Lapideum" to the Academia Reale delle Scienze di Torino [Royal Academy of Sciences Turin]. Twenty-sixth volume of transactions of the Academy has been dispatched for Smith, Linnean Society, and other societies. Confirms Smith is still one of the Academy's twenty foreign members. [Antonio Lodovico] Bellardi gratified by Smith's remembrance of him.

[Bicheno's letter:] proposed rearrangement of the genus 'Rubus'.

[Forster's note:] queries some of Bicheno's decisions.

Encloses remarks he published relative to the Cambridge botany professorship [extant]. Smith will also receive a letter and book from Governor [DeWitt] Clinton.

Newspaper clipping from the "The Statesman", New York: Wednesday evening, June 4 1823: discusses Smith's rejection for Cambridge botany professorship and warns America to "take warning by the example of Europe".

Charged by [Nathaniel] Wallich to inform Smith of his successful explorations in the East: he has gathered a "glorious" collection of plants from Singapore, Penang, and Nepal for the East India Company, including 3000 new species, nearly 200 of which are ferns. Received Nepalese seeds from Wallich but [John] Shepherd [(c 1764-1836)] of the Liverpool Botanic Garden has not expressed an interest in them.

Reply to Smith's of 27 February delayed by ill health and domestic troubles, including: his confinement for the last four months by the "very awkward weather"; death of his grandchild, the eldest daughter of Mrs Charlotte Lynn who died last summer, from a cold upon her chest and illness of three other of the children; Mr Lynn's threatening to leave Keswick; and the ailing of Mrs Goodenough of Lincolnshire's two remaining children out of ten, now being treated by Sir Henry Halford [(1766-1844), physician].

Attended a rare daytime Linnean Society council meeting at which an "absurd" hoax paper about robins read at the previous meeting; Joseph Sabine proposed publicly acknowledging it at the next meeting but Goodenough persuaded them to let the matter drop, grateful the reader is not stipendiary otherwise public notice might have been made. The Society unable to commit to publishing all eleven of [Francis Hamilton's] remarks on the "Hortus Malabaricus" and should never have printed the first part; this, alongside the cock robin paper, has determined [Alexander] Macleay to resign his post.

Has been ill since 13 November. Unsurprised by manoeuvres of [William] Cobbett's [(1763-1835), political writer and farmer] inflaming "the passions of the ignorant" at a meeting held in York, believes the argument about the composition of the consitution too finely drawn for the "lower orders". Glad that Smith has ordered the 'Umbellatae', a class he has previously been confused by. Has not seen anything of Professor [Christian Friedrich] Schwaegrichen [(1775-1853)] after refusing [Archibald] Menzies request to support him for a Foreign Member of the Linnean Society.

Received Smith's letter of 30 April. Thinks Smith wise to stay in Clapton rather than London, where he would eat and drink more than he is used to. No longer has time to go over papers and only spoke of Latin errors in David Don's [(1799-1841), botanist] 'Saxifrafa' paper from first sight. Although [Richard] Taylor [(1781-1858), publisher] has exculpated himself to Smith over his reading of the hoax paper on robins Goodenough knows he had time to see it and seek advice whether to read it or not. Agrees with most of the Royal Society's statute revisions but uncertain about doubling the admission fee, supposes it may keep applications down and deter "society hunters".

Sent a barrel of oysters for Smith. [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert in high spirits but Mrs [Catherine] Lambert worse than ever and never sees anyone. Smith's distinction between 'Geum' and 'Dryas' "very satisfactory" and Goodenough had not observed it before; singular generic character of 'Icosandria' so striking it makes one examine the plants carelessly.

They had a wintry summer and kept fires in all rooms as in the depth of winter, and garden produce was badly damaged: no apples, unripe pears, flavourless strawberries and raspberries, and corn very late and still green in fields on 3 November, but they produced mulberries only the third time and enjoyed a good peach harvest at the end of October. Less radicalism in his area of Cumberland. Comments on the difficulty of filling the positions of Attorney and Solicitor Generals due to the "great dearth of profound lawyers", similar to the lack of profound scholars in several of the learned professions.

Sending Smith Weihe's "Rubi Germanici" for inspection, at suggestion of Edward Forster, and specimens of the 'Rubus' of this region. List of specimens with observations, numbered, dated 6 December 1823, including: 'R. leucostachys', 'R. fruticasus', 'R. rhamnifolius', 'R. nitidus', 'R. suberectus', 'R. corylifolius', 'R. affinis', 'R. glandulosus', 'R. caesius', and 'R. idaeus'.

Discusses learned societies: informed by Sir George Staunton of the founding of the Asiatic Society of London; anxious for the prosperity of the Linnean Society, asks if the vice-president, [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert, and [Robert] Brown communicate with Smith; laments death of Sir Joseph Banks [president of Royal Society] and reserved behaviour of Lord Aberdeen [George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen (1784-1860)], president of Antiquarian Society; requests copy of 1819 Linnean Society list.

Reported in newspaper that [George] Leathes [(1779-1836)] caught a live 'Ampelis garrulus' in his hothouse and is feeding it on grapes, juniper berries, and raisins; Cullum would like to see if it can live on misletoe berries. Just received fifth volume of [John] Latham's "[A general history of] Birds", has subscribed in friendship and knowing of his difficult financial affairs due to his son's imprudence. Asks if Smith knows what plant 'Buchu' is as the leaves of it are being advertised in a pamphlet to treat complaints of the urethra and vesica urinaria [Smith has annotated in pencil that "'Buchu' is the Hottentot name" for 'Diosma'].

[John] Denson [(fl 1820s-1870s, curator of Bury botanic garden] received parcel of seeds sent by Smith. Alarmed by account given of Smith's health, his own legs are inflamed and forming superficial abscesses. Had hoped to invite Smith to visit him in Bury on his way to London. Received letter from [Thomas] Rackett, an executor for David Garrick's widow [Eva Marie Veigel (1724-1822)], offering to show him curiosities from Garrick's estate, and given a catalogue of Garrick's soon to be auctioned library; sketches and transcribes inscription of one of Garrick's book plates and comments on it. Received letter from his son in Rome, details their intended movements around Italy.

Intends to visit Cullum in Bury after visiting his Kindersley cousins at Sunning Hill. Three hundred people attended Horticultural Society dinner. Has the book "Menagiana" mentioned by Cullum, amused and informed by it.

Disappointed to not be able to attend Linnean Society dinner; cannot forget his connection to the Society. Further plans for Smith's visit to Bury. His son and family in Italy, the "unfortunate war with Spain" [Franco-Spanish War] prevents them from returning to Barèges, [France]. Details of the coaches leaving London for Bury.