No summary available.

By Smith's request sending specimens of West Indian plants including from 'Urtica' and 'Epidendrum', surprised to hear from Sir Joseph Banks that species of the latter have been flowering at Kew. His definition for separating 'Epidendrum' and associated genera 'Limodorum'. [Richard] Salisbury's observations on 'Cypripedium' are "ingenious", further discussion of the genus with reference to 'Cypripedium calceolus' and 'Cypripedium bulbosum', compliments Smith's coloured figure of same and wishes that all of the 'Gynandrae' were similarly illustrated. Does not agree with [Carl Peter] Thunberg's idea to place 'Orchideous' plants in the 'Diandria' order but agrees with [Johann von] Schreber's arrangement of 'Arum'. Preoccupied with his work on "Icones". Apologises for his error in characterisation of 'Canella alba' [in his paper for "Linnean Transactions"], only one loculament is filled with seeds.

Invites Smith to inspect the East India seeds Mr Molesworth is sending her and asks him to bring Molesworth so she can thank him for his "repeated remembrance of her plants". Her 'Portlandia' with 18 very large flowers and 22 buds, the plant still flourishes and nearly outgrowing the glass only recently raised over it. Offers the Botany Bay bird Smith said was unknown, to be figured.

Thanks for second fasciculus [probably Smith's "Spicilegium botanicum"] and Smith's "Flora Lapponica", which "as far excels all other floras, as the system of Linn[aeus] does all other systems".

Answers Smith's queries on various subjects [for Smith's "Sketch of a Tour on the Continent"]: transcribes a quote by [Joseph] Addison on enthusiasm; transcript of his notes made at Sens 1 November 1786 on five figures on a monument; transcript of his notes made 8 November 1786 on a Bibliotheque de la Ville in a former Jesuit seminary containing valuable manuscripts of Cicero's "Epistles", a curiously illuminated French translation of Ovid's "Metamorphoses", two folio volumes of French romances which belonged to Louis X, a 1742 copy of Pliny's "Natural History", and several Chinese manuscripts including a "History of China" translated into French. Could find no reference in his notes to: the 'Antirtrinum monspeliense' found in woods of the Granamont; the view of the Isle de Marguerite; the temperature of the mineral water at Aix; nor any account of supposed medical virtues of the excrescences of 'Lentiscus'. Informs Smith of [Thomas] Martyn's intentions of publishing his own "Tour through Italy", enquires after Smith's plan for his.

Underwhelmed by first part of [Erasmus] Darwin's "Botanic Garden". Strong republican feelings in Sheffield: cannon have been firing on news of the Duke of Brunswick's retreat [the "Brunswick Manifesto" issued on 25 July 1792 threatened the French populace with retaliatory violence by Prussian forces should the French royal family be harmed. It antagonised the population and on 20 September 1792 the Prussians were defeated in the Battle of Valmy and retreated from France]. The 15 October has been set as a day of celebration by several sets of workmen and a republican printer has a new sign of [Thomas] Paine [(1737-1809), author and revolutionary] at a bookdesk, and several street corners bear the inscription "Death or Liberty". A government directive for dealers in perfumery, hats, and gloves to form committees to report on evasion of duties was met with remark that it "must be a poor government that cannot be supported without sowing dissension among neighbours and making fellow citizens informers of one another". Asks Smith to procure from Mr Parker of Fleet Street one of [John Mervin] Nooth's [(1737-1828), physician] "improved machines for impregnating water with fixed air [carbon dioxide]".

As Smith is one of his benefactors he is dedicating seventh volume of his "Beiträge zur Naturkunde" to him.

Thanks for Smith's works, "Spicililegium botanicum" and "Icones pictae". His health is still weak and digestion disordered. Explains that through his "ardent love of Botany" he has declined every opportunity conducive to his fortune and reduced his patrimony in forming his botanical library to the bare minimum and his study, friendship with Smith, and relationship with wife "are the three great & only objects" which make him value his existence.

Concerns over war [threatened invasion of Switzerland by the French]: the Genevans have called on their allies and 1500 of Berne and 640 of Zurich have entered Geneva, which was proteseted against by the French resident before issuing a direct declaration of war, and French artillery now expected to commence firing on Geneva. The Swiss are marching on every frontier shared with France and if not for his wife would happily take up a musket in defence of his collections. Believes only reason to fear French is their immense numbers and the common people are strong and the German Swiss "are perfectly well armed, their artillery of the best sort" and 30-40,000 men are stirring. A young man who escaped from the massacre of the Swiss Guards at Paris was with him yesterday.

Asks to borrow Smith's folio copy of [Johann] Hedwig's "Historia muscorum" for the catalogue of plants he is compiling for Nichols' "History of Leicestershire", the previous editions are not proper to reference from. Reflects on his youthful enthusiasm for 'Musci' and small plants inspired by [John] Ray's "Synopsis" and his exchanges with [William] Hudson. Visited late Earl of Bute's "very rich" botanical library, 300 feet long conservatory, and four acre garden [John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (1713-1792)]. Asks for L'Héritier's current location.

Disappointed to not see his name in "Linnean Transactions" list, which he otherwise enjoyed.

[Respecting Thomas Hoy's paper 'Account of a spinning Limax, or Slug' in "Linnean Transactions" vol 1] not surprised that a land 'Limax' should be found to spin, following his observations of marine animals of that or a neighbouring genus in moving about rock pools; believes that too many dissimilar animals have been confounded under name "insect", remarks in Latin, intends to write further on subject.

Shortly leaving for Windsor to give the Queen and princesses five or six week course of lectures on zoology and botany, not going into detail "on the various structure of vesiculae seminales, nor on the "vulva hiaus" of the Viola (see "Flo[ra] Lapponica")". Compliments the Queen and princesses Augusta and Elizabeth. No payment has been mentioned as he initially only undertook to organise [John] Lightfoot's herbarium and the lectures have been proposed since. They think him "a wondrous learned philosopher" and cynically comments on getting a share of the "plunder" of the Church and King, though to do so would have to pray that "light & liberty may never make any progress in the world"; he prays most "fervently" for "virtuous" liberty and "not the sight of cutting off any body's head at pleasure". The "Magnificent Lords" of Geneva "cut a ridiculous figure" and are "quite a joke with the French", presumes the Berne aristocracy are anxious [threatened invasion of Switzerland by French] and will not write to Turin as they too must be anxious and not thinking of botany.

Delessert going over his [Smith's] herbarium. Progressing well with his "Sketch of a Tour on the Continent". Responds to Davall's letter of 12 October: nothing to fear from the French and blames the Genevans who "had no business to put on a warlike appearance" and that it is only their own tyrants that make the Swiss fight the French; detests the Geneva and Berne governments. As the French behaved well in Savoy and Nice thinks they will not come for plunder, and as Davall is English he should not be hurt.

No summary available.

Fears that [William] Hudson is dying after suffering a second paralytic stroke and losing the use of a leg. Spent five weeks of summer in Bath, [Somerset], followed by Weymouth, [Dorset], where he regularly saw the King and Queen [George III and Charlotte], though the weather was changeable. Asks whether 'Trifolium stellatum' and 'Trifolium maritimum' are the two distinct species of 'Trifolium', as he found [John] Ray's teasel-headed 'Trifolium' (Syn:p 329 n8) near Bristol, some think it distinct from 'Trifolium stellatum'. Could not find 'Vicia hybrida' at Weymouth; '[Vicia] lutea' common on the seashore and 'Vicia bythynica' in a hilly pasture with 'Ulex' and on Portland Island, compares the pods with 'Vicia lutea'. Recommends [William Lloyd] Baker and Thomas Ruggles as FLS. Intended to send [James] Sowerby Suffolk plants but weather too cold to botanise. 'Thesium linophyllum' and 'Cucubalus otites' still in flower. Coming to London at end of January.

New publications: Thunberg's "Flora Japonica"; Gaertner's "de Seminibus Plantarum"; Gmelin's "Systema Vegetabila" from 'Monandria' to 'Polyandria', including the genus 'Culhamia' and notes that an old way to spell Cullum was Culham; has heard there is a new edition of a "Species Plantarum"; saw Olivier's "Insecta Coleoptera"; with so many natural history books laments absence of a "Flora or Fauna Anglica". Further plants seen: field of nine inch high 'Orchis ustulata' at Bath; 'Trifolium maritimum' in low meadow near St Vincent's Rock, Bristol; 'Vicia lutea' at Weymouth; and 'Vicia bythinica'.

Returned from eight months tour in Valencia; acknowledges books and specimens.

Responds to points in Woodward's letter of 31 March [1792] on use of Latin in "Icones pictae". Concerned Woodward has not yet received the "peculiarly good" castor oil he sent during stay at Norwich and Ipswich. Setting out for Frogmore tomorrow for 5 weeks to teach the Queen's [Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818)] and Princesses botany and zoology, hopes he will receive some recompense.

Sending lichens. Asks Woodward's opinion of enlarging "English botany" to 6 plants for 2s 6d, as currently [James] Sowerby receives little and he nothing from it. Intends to work on his "Tour" at Frogmore. Plants found by [James] Dickson in Scotland: 'Saxifraga cernua', 'Gentiana nivalis', 'Stellaria cerastoides', and others have found 'Eriophorum alpinum', 'Convallaria verticillata', and 'Pyrola uniflora'. The bad accounts from Sierra Leone are false, or at least the [Sierra Leone] Company know nothing of them.