His periodical publications delayed by his long stay in London. Gives an account of his correspondence with and about [Richard] Salisbury: received copy of Salisbury's pamphlet ["The generic characters in the English Botany"] and letter signifying that if Smith made concessions he would not publish it. Contrary to Salisbury's claims Salisbury's sisters deny any knowledge of the business. Salisbury has told [Archibald] Menzies he would "give £500" to have never written it but has continued to attack Smith in "Paradisus Londinensis". Is particularly hurt by Sir Joseph Banks' obliviousness to the personal nature of the attacks but has long "been aware of the queerness of this great man" and is now glad he took Goodenough's advice and did name himself only the editor "Flora Graeca", as Banks wanted. As part of an experiment on Banks' humour requested a drawing for use in "Exotic Botany", which was grudgingly granted. Believes his work on 'Globba marantina' and other 'Scitamineae' in "Exotic Botany", in part assisted by [William] Roscoe's paper to Linnean Society, is excellent. [Francis] Buchanan has given him his whole collection of Nepal and Mysore plants, all his manuscript descriptions, and nearly 200 drawings for publication in "Exotic Botany".

Literary plans for winter: intends to finish "Flora Britannica", write a popular introduction to botany, to finish and publish Linnaeus' "Lapland tour", besides going on with "Flora Graeca" and his two periodical works ["Exotic Botany" and "English Botany"]. The first fasciculi of "Flora Graeca" has just printed but with possible errors to correct. Struggled with the 'Umbellatae', 'Silene', and 'Dianthus' in "Prodromus Florae Graecae". The sore on his leg has completely healed but left a "tremendous scar". Finances of the Linnean Society extremely healthy. The alarming state of the nation; "we have only the choice of evils, and perhaps not even that". The new Bishop of Norwich [Henry Bathurst (1744-1837)] a "very amiable, benignant character".

Had hoped to congratulate Goodenough in person on his appointment as Bishop of Carlisle at Linnean Society anniversary meeting but his wife and three servants have been suffering from "a sort of rheumatic epidemic" and so has delayed coming to London. The symptoms include intense pain in the back of the limbs, insomnia, and in some cases considerable emaciation and debility. Sending some Latin for "Flora Graeca" for Goodenough to correct. His sister in Liverpool invites Goodenough to stay on his way to Carlisle.

Asks Goodenough to frank an enclosed letter to John Hawkins, Dallington, near Northampton, [Northamptonshire].

Has still not received a letter from Goodenough. Wants Goodenough to read his paper on the new genus 'Hookeria', named after William Jackson Hooker, at the Linnean Society and asks that Goodenough overlook the clash with [Richard] Salisbury's 'Hookera', named after [William] Hooker [(1779-1832)], botanical artist for "Paradisus Londinensis", a "man of no knowledge & of even less character". Has found that Salisbury and William Hooker have been stealing copies of Sir Joseph Banks' drawings and publishing them as drawn from Lady Essex's garden. His wife still helpless with a painful rheumatic illness. Intends to be at the Linnean Society on 19 April.

Grateful for Goodenough's comments on "Flora Graeca" manuscript, discusses use of 'Atho', corrected by [John] Hawkins to 'Athone', and other Latin. Laments the loss of Goodenough's critical letter on his "Introduction to Botany", a similar thing occured when the Duke of Portland franked a letter to him on his "[Sketch of a] Tour [on the continent]". Pleased that Sir Abraham Hume is to become a FLS. Dawson Turner grateful for Goodenough's correcting [of the name 'Griffithsii' to 'Griffithsiae'] and it shall be published in "English Botany" as 'Griffithsiae'. His wife has relapsed into her rheumatic illness. Lord Seaforth an "excellent & very acute man". Directs Goodenough to [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert for news of [Richard] Salisbury stealing a figure of 'Byblis' from Sir Joseph Banks.

His need to vent with Goodenough like the Suffolk baronet and wife of their acquaintance, who when apart write to each other every day with minimal formalities, and when Sir Thomas Frankland used to write to him with the "most delightful epistolia" of the moment. Recollects the day he spent with Yeates and Broussonet in the woods of Corby Castle, near Carlisle, where he caught and gave to [Thomas] Marsham 'Elater cuprens' and 'Scarabaeus arvicola', wonders why Marsham has only named Yorkshire for the former species and not mentioned him [in "Entomologica Britannia"]. Found 'Elater pectinicornis' on Cromford Moor near Matlock. Noticed that Dr [Samuel] Johnson [(1709-1784), author] explains the "shard-born beetle" of the poets as born or produced among broken stones or pots, Smith thinks it must mean "borne, or flying about, on shards, or shells (testae)".

Argues for his new 'Hookeria' [after William Jackson Hooker] and 'Brodiaea' genera being put forward in spite of [Richard] Salisbury having already published Smith's 'Brodiaea' as 'Hookera' [in "Paradisus Londinensis", after William Hooker (1779-1832), botanical artist]: wrote his papers on 'Hookeria' and 'Brodiaea' before hearing of Salisbury's intention for 'Hookera' and would not normally object except that Salisbury's Hooker is not a botanist and an associate "in an infamous fraud" on Sir Joseph Banks [stealing figures of 'Byblis' and other plants and presenting them as their own]. Urges Goodenough to read his letter in the "Monthly Magazine" [April 1808 edition] which addresses an erroneous statement in the botanical report in [the February 1808] issue of the magazine conjecturing on the nature of the dispute between himself and Salisbury, which is independent of botany.

Smith's reply to Goodenough's letter dated 12 November 1808. Has Bodaeus' Theophrastus but as [John] Sibthorp's intention was to illustrate Dioscorides does not intends to go further with "Flora Graeca" or "Florae Graecae Prodromus". Requests Goodenough's advice whether to follow [Richard] Salisbury's new generic name for 'Nymphaea alba', 'Castalia', after the manner the petals "chastely fold over & cover the organs of impregnation", in "Florae Graecae Prodromus". Smith would prefer it to be after the Castalian fountain of Greek mythology. Salisbury has separated it from 'Nymphaea lutea' as proposed by Smith in "Introduction to Botany". Believes that 'Nymphaea alba' in Dioscorides provides enough evidence for keeping that name and proposes 'Blephara', also from Dioscorides, for the other generic name, and provides characters for each. Observes how curious it is that 'Nymphaea alba' is strictly gynandrous according to the more correct character of 'Gynandria'.

Believes he has quoted Dr [John] Hull [(1761-1843), physician and botanist] more than commending him, he is a "mere compiler". Bishop of Norwich [Henry Bathurst (1744-1837)] gratified to hear of Goodenough's remembrances and is quite recovered, although he lately had a fall at Holkham, [Norfolk, home of Thomas William Coke] after opening the cellar door. Asks Goodenough to frank enclosed letter to Mrs Smith in Liverpool. Amelia Hume's 'Chrysanthemum indicum' in flower. Will send part of his 'Sedum ochroleucum' in a frank for Goodenough to grow.

Smith's reply to Goodenough's letter dated 9 November 1810. Confident of the King's [George III (1738-1820)] recovery but waits for the "authentic declaration of the physician's opinion". Agrees with Goodenough's eulogy of [Jonas] Dryander's character. [Alexander] Macleay and [Thomas] Marsham agree with Smith in proposing [John] Symmons for Dryander's replacement as vice-president. Death of Lady East, is suffering from dropsy, is imminent; praises her character. Profits by society of Bishop of Norwich [Henry Bathurst (1744-1837)]. [Robert] Brown is Dryander's replacement as Sr Joseph Banks' librarian. Hopes [new edition of] "Hortus Kewensis" will continue.

Smith's reply to Goodenough's letter dated 5 December 1810. Thanks Goodenough for his "most judicious & able conducting" of the last Linnean Society meeting [resolving a dispute between William Elford Leach and William Bullock (fl 1790s-1840s)]. Agrees that [Thomas] Marsham is the best candidate for vice-president of the Society but is hurt that Marsham has hinted to others he expects to be appointed, despite having previously rejected the office. Intends to postpone the appointment of a vice-president and would like Marsham to explicitly state his desire for the role. Goodenough should put anyone he thinks suitable into the Council except [John] Symmons, lest it fuel rumours of his being appointed vice-president. Bishop of Norwich [Henry Bathurst (1744-1837)] moving to London soon having bought a house in Welbeck Street.

Smith's reply to Goodenough's dated 4 October 1811. Goodenough does him "great injustice" but by mistake, he informed Goodenough of his disbelief in vicarious punishment as taught by the [Anglican] church in confidence, and claims, as a professed dissenter, his own right to judge for himself. States that he has never perplexed Drake or anyone else with his doubts or opinions and only tried to get him to take the Christian religion as a whole, and thinks that all Christians should judge for themselves.

Reply to Goodenough's letter dated 25 September 1812; will pacify Mr Holme's botanical pride, should it become necessary. Cannot change his name for 'Carex rariflora' as it is already printed in a current book, as well as it being difficult to find new names for so large a genus; Goodenough's suggestion of 'nivalis' is suitable to many exotic ones. [Dawson] Turner busy "being all things to all men & women", and printing a "Lichenographia Britannica" with [William] Borrer.

Discussion of domestic and international affairs: the new Parliament will not find their business easy; fears Britain will have to give up Spain; Britain making America a maritime power; sees comfort in Russia [Napoleon's failed invasion of Russia]. Received account from [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert and Sir Joseph Banks: Lambert has found 'Carduus tuberosus', it is as obstinate a weed as '[Carduus] arvensis'. Smith intends to follow the the thirty-sixth, and final, volume of "English Botany" with the fourth volume of "Flora Britannica", and has finished the third part of "Florae Graecae Prodromus".

The Edinburgh regius botany professorship is in the gift of [James Graham, 3rd] Duke of Montrose [(1755–1836)] and was given to [Robert] Graham [(1786-1845), professor of botany at Glasgow; doubts that it was offered to [Robert] Brown. Discusses the relationship between the university, the city, and magistrates of Edinburgh, who had proposed Brown. Smith only applied as a curiosity following an invitation of some professors and others. Feeling more and more indifferent about the Cambridge professorship.

Thanks for barrel of oysters. Steadily working on his "English Flora" and hopes to get it to the press in May; expects it to be "quite an original Flora" as he has been revising the whole subject and correcting mistakes made by previous writers and compilers. Asks Goodenough's advice regarding accenting of names and whether to give derivation of generic names. The whole object of the book is "botanical determination". Asks Goodenough's opinion of the "green old age" of [Thomas William] Coke [on 26 February 1822 Coke married for the second time Lady Anne Amelia Keppel (1803-1844), fifty years his junior]. Smith hopes he has done some good with the grasses and triandria monogynia, with which [Robert] Brown is "very great" but refines too much.

Takes on advice in Goodenough's last letter on "English Flora": only explanations of generic names will be for those new to British readers; praises Goodenough's plan for accenting but decides to adopt a simpler system. Queries whether [Augustin] de Candolle's new term, "carpella", for the single grains of compound fruits should not be "carpiola". Adopting [Johann von] Schreber's [(1739-1810)] genus 'Spartina' for 'Dactylis stricta' but the French have called it 'Limnetis'. Fears [William] Swainson has not succeeded in his attempts for a British Museum post. Regrets that party politics should make men such as [Thomas William] Coke and Edmund Wodehouse [(1784-1855), politician] enemies; feels some alarm at difference in age between Coke and his new wife [fifty years his junior]. [William] Roscoe preparing a "very excellent distribution of the species of 'Canna'" for Linnean Society.