Communicates to WS the award of the Royal Gold Medal for his 'magnificent work on the New Catalogue of 3112 Double Stars.' Informs WS that award is for research completed within 5 years of presentation.
Awaits JH's instructions on duplicating barometer observations taken at Mt. Etna. Francesco Lunn visits, will verify observations made by MG. MG congratulates JH on the success of his efforts to measure the brightness of light with precision.
Has visited Louvain and also a steam engine factory near Liége. Account of various excursions.
Is sending him a proofsheet of the first of his charts of the zodiac. Does he think the work worthwhile, and is it suitable for printing in the Memoirs?
Attended inquest regarding the 'calamitous' fate of [James] Grahame. Is sending JH inquest report, which contains important information.
Congratulates CM for completing Jean-Baptiste Delambre's Histoire de l'astronomie du XVIIIe siècle [1827]. Explains how to send copies for distribution to England.
Offers the correspondent's friend the information that JH has received a letter indicating that John Henslow is a formidable candidate for the professorship of botany.
Responds to WT's 1827-10-29. Sending JH's Light, which uses some of WT's publications.
Pleased to learn that they share the same view of the reform of chemical nomenclature. Discusses various professorships at Cambridge and the question of who should head the R.S.L. Praises Richard Jones's ideas in political economy.
His brother[-in-law] Mr Martin has not succeeded. Pleased to hear Roscoe so close to end of his ["Monandrian Plants"], which is "one of the few really original, valuable & learned works in Botany that this age has seen"; wishes he could review it in Taylor's "Philosophical Magazine". "English Flora" nearly printed and about to start work on "Flora Graeca".
Debilitated by a low catarrhous complaint which ended in a serious and painful ophthalmia. Sorry Roscoe could not visit this year; he himself could not go to Holkham, [Norfolk, home of Thomas William Coke]. Glad Roscoe accedes to 'Renealmia', as Reneaulme "deserved a good genus"; has his "very curious" book which the [Bauhins] never quote, which is commented on by Linnaeus, should Roscoe also wish to.
Appoints Robert Brown to be a Vice-President in place of the late Bishop of Carlisle [Samuel Goodenough].
Complaint in both his eyes has obliged him to be "quite idle for some days".
Thanks for Smith's hospitality in England; sending specimens. Encloses sheet of queries, Smith has inserted his answers to these.
Pleased by the visit of Smith's relation, Frederick Smith. [Thomas] Lister Parker [(1779-1858), antiquary] visited and mentioned the "great pine", believes branches and cones have been sent to [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert. Wishes her husband [Sir James Edward Smith] and himself had been young and well enough to attend first meetings of the season of the Horticultural, Linnean, and Royal Societies. His son and family are to winter at Nice but concerned that from [Thomas] Martyn's report of the weather in Nice in his "Tour through Italy" (1787) it will not help the ill Mrs Cullum. Returns basket with young pheasant.