Relates merits of his son, [David Pennant], believes he would be a worthy member of the Linnean Society. They are both coming to London shortly. Offers Dr [George] Shaw a specimen of the three-toed sloth for the British Museum, it is better than [Frederick] Nodder's description in "Natural Miscellany".

Hopes Smith has returned from Matlock, [Derbyshire], in good health. Status of his "Outlines of the Globe": requests birth year and birthplace of [Georg Eberhard] Rumphius, and information on [John] Clayton, the "Virginian florist" [(1694-1773) English plant collector in Virginia]; has only the Malay and other Indian islands to complete. Asks if it is true that Dr Blagden has been knighted [Sir Charles Blagden (c 1748-1820) physician and secretary of the Royal Society].

Has finished his "supreme opus", the 14th volume of his "Outlines of the Globe", covering islands of Sumatra, the Philippines, Spice Islands, New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland, and New Holland [Australia]. Discusses [Georg Eberhard] Rumphius: unsure of the details of his death and believes his drawings were stolen by a nephew of [François] Valentijn for his own work ["Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën", a history of Dutch East India Company and countries of the Far East, the drawings were actually lost in a fire and Rumphius wrote much of the natural history of Valentijin's work]. Requests prints of plants for his manuscripts.