He has just acquired Professor Murray's herbarium, a "very rough collection" neither arranged or named; offers duplicates to Smith. Invites Smith to dinner. Encloses money, clearing his debt with Smith; thanks for the "very cheap supply of valuable works".
Has arrived safely but owing to the confusion of the colony they do not have anywhere to dry plants or write observations, so prevented from collecting, which is disappointing. Has sent some bulbs and seeds, including 'Hamanthus mulliflorus' and 'Amaryllis ornata'. Happy to have [François] Borone as his travel companion. Requests to be sent [Joseph] Ga[e]rtner's "de Seminibus", Schreber's "Genera Plantarum", and the "Vegetable Kingdom" of Gmelin's System. If not for the efforts of John Clarkson [abolitionist and 1st Governor of Free Town] he would have tired of Sierra Leone. Comments on the effort Clarkson will have to make to achieve his "laudable intentions". Cannot send [Thomas] Marsham any insects for the same reasons he has not been able to collect plants.
No summary available.
No summary available.
Pleased to hear of Smith's recovery; hopes he enjoys a leisurely stay in Norwich, [Norfolk]; believes the solitariness and bad weather on his first arrival in Matlock brought on attack on his lungs. Bad summer in Suffolk, with a short crop that is causing talk of extravagant prices in the winter. Knows Cromford Moor well but unaware of lichens the last time he was there. Struggled to find fly orchids this year but there are luxuriant bee orchids.
Admired Dr [Erasmus] Darwin's last publication of his "elegant poem", further opinions; visited him in 1781; he and Sir Brooke Boothby [7th baronet, (1744-1824), poet and writer] will be "capital additions" to Linnean Society. Favell mutually pleased with Smith. Has specimen of 'Ornithogalum' for Smith but it does not appear to be 'O. pyrenaicum' or 'O. umbellatum'. Encloses single flower from plant in Sir John Rous' [1st Earl of Stradbroke (1750-1827), politician] garden grown from East India seed, labelled 'Abrus' but evidentally a mistake; observations.
Asks if White has the letterpress to Bulliard's "Histoire des champignons"; has still not received the remaining plates from L'Héritier. Understands Smith is to return to Frogmore to continue work on [John] Lightfoot's herbarium, now the Queen's [Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818)].
Returned from Matlock, [Derbyshire], 4 days ago in "perfect health". Read over Pulteney's Linnean Society paper with "great pleasure". Intends to go into the country for 6 weeks in a day or two. Sending second number of his "Spicilegium botanicum"; account of money owing. Still awaiting the letterpress for L'Héritier's plates, though their "excellence [...] disarms one's anger". Sorry to hear that [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert is still an invalid. About to go to Windsor to arrange [John] Lightfoot's herbarium and occasionally instruct the Queen [Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818)] in botany. L'Héritier has written for Gaertner's second volume for them.
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].
Thanks for Smith's letter of 16 [July 1792] and books; congratulates Smith on return of his health; state of his account with Smith. Expects he will have to draw a line soon regarding his purchase of works on exotic botany. Book orders for himself and a gentleman of his neighbourhood.
Should his 'Lycoperdon' paper be intended for publication he has some small additions to make. [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert in a "very low & depressed state". Grandmaison has published a French edition of his "View of the Writings of Linnaeus". Cannot come to London to examine Linnaean shells; his own collection contains nearly 1000 distinct species; he has lately inspired two young gentleman of the area in natural history, including [William George] Maton, whom Smith has already shown the Linnaean shells. Hears much of Bulliard's book on fungus ["Histoire des champignons de la France.." (1791-1812)].