Thanks Smith for hospitality during visit to Norwich in November. Sends list of queries on genus 'Brownea', for Smith to answer and return.

Invites Smith to dinner on Friday 3 May.

Lists of various amounts of money, in Smith's hand.

He has temporary charge of the East India Company's botanic garden at Calcutta whilst [William] Roxburgh is at the Cape [of Good Hope] recovering his health. He has been drawing and describing his fish specimens; forwarding drawings and descriptions of 10 'Cyprini' as an example; his method for interpreting the Bengal names; has nearly 200 drawings of fish; unsure whether to publish as a separate publication or in "Linnean Transactions". Sending description and drawings of a bat for "Linnean Transactions". Received word that the Directors of the East India Company have received his Burmese plants specimens and given them to Sir Joseph Banks.

He is publishing a long paper on the "Religion of the Burmas" in "Asiatic Researches" vol 6; he has caused great offence amongst the Indian antiquaries by claiming that Buddhism is the original doctrine of Hinduism, and that the Bramins are "intruders from Egypt".

Last year he was employed in preparing a report on suitability of Chittagong and Tippera provinces for spice cultivation, which was unfavourable, but a trial is to be made at Chittagong for which he will send nutmeg and cinnamon trees. Collected a number of specimens on this trip. Intends to send Smith a parcel of seeds for distribution. Planning to an expedition through the Sunderbunds forests and considering writing an account of the natural productions of district watered by mouths of the Ganges and Burampooter rivers.

Thanks Mrs Smith for turkey. Flattered by dedication of "Flora Anglica" [Britannica]. Remarks on severity of the winter, in which his steward has reported hearing "frost crack" in trees, apparently not observed in England since the "Hard Frost" of 1739-1740. Time has been taken up with Committee of Coinage so has done very little botany. [Jonas] Dryander printing catalogue.

Has sent Smith the requested specimens of 'Clara' from Bolart's herbarium, which is rapidly decaying. Eager to see [William] Sole's mints ['Mentha'], at present cannot follow his descriptions and would be pleased to see some of his plants reduced "to a more subordinate rank than that of species". Discussion of 'Campanula': considers a variety of 'Campanula rotundifolia' in Oxford Botanic Garden to be 'Campanula rhomboidea' on account of leaves; asks Smith's familiarity with 'Campanula mollis', named by [John] Sibthorp 'C. rupestris'. Received roots of 'Eriocaulon' from northern England, unsure what trivial name to give the species. [James] Sowerby's 'Polygonum bistortum'. Grateful to Smith for gathering the 'Statice' of the Norfolk coast. Requests seeds of 'Melampyrum cristatum' and others, and specimens of new 'Orobanche' except 'Orobanche elatior'.

Thanks Smith for his attention in identifying 'Anchusa officinalis', describes its habitat and opinion on whether it is indigenous. Has left instructions with a friend to send specimens to [James] Sowerby, as requested. Lord Valentia [George Annesley] hopes to soon see Smith in London.

Assures Smith he shall assist [Dawson] Turner any way he can. Complains that a collection of British shells he sent to the Linnean Society in March 1797 have not been acknowledged. Proposes to compile a catalogue of Anglesea plants to present to the Society, believing that a system of botanists examining their own neighbourhoods "might be the likeliest method of perfecting a flora of the nation". However, plans have been put on hold by news of Smith's progress on "Flora Britannica", asks advice on whether to proceed. Condolences on the death of [Thomas] Pennant.

Account of his 3 month botanical trip in north Wales, from which he returned in October [1798]: travelled on foot; unable to meet [John Wynne] Griffith [(1763-1834)]; accompanied on his mountain excursions by a non-botanical clergyman with good local knowledge. Plants include: 'Cardamine petraea' notes and observations; specimens for Smith of the three rarer 'Arenaria', 'Polypodium lonchitis', 'Isoetes lacustris', and 'Subularia aquatica'; seed of 'Saxifraga palmata', 'Cerastium latifolium', 'Subularia aquatica', 'Cerastium alpinum', and 'Anthericum serotinum'; 'Formentilla ceptans' with flowers of the 'Formentilla' and 'Potentilla', [William] Withering thinks the two genera should be united. Apologises for not sending rare Welsh plants to [James] Sowerby as intended.

Promises specimens of 'Chara tomentosa', 'Heracleum augustifolium' and 'Euphorbias platyphyleos' in the future. Thanks Smith for assistance in translation of the synonym in 'Fontinalis minor'. Has added 11 new plants and habitats since "Flora Bedfordiensis" came out: 'Ruscus aculeatus', 'Bryum uniberbe', 'Byrum viridulum', 'Marchantia conica', 'Lichen graniformis', 'Lichen tessellatus', 'Lichen coarctatus', 'Lichen haematomma', 'Lichen cerinus', 'Lichen rimosus', 'Lichen awreus'.

Thinks it wise for Mr Nortcut to delay his candidature at Royal Society until communicating a paper to them, to preclude "all fear of an unfavourable decision by ballot". Comments on winter weather.

At Smith's request sends specimens of 'Cardamine petraea', 'Subularia aquatica', 'Arenaria verna', 'A. laricifolia', and 'A. juniperina', and also 'Cochlearia groenlandica', 'Saxifraga palmata', 'Serratula alpina', 'Solidago cambrica', and 'Cardamine hastulata' he now determines as 'Arabis hispida' Linnaeus; requests they be returned except the two Smith likes best. Considers 'Arenaria juniperina' and 'A. laricifolia' varieties of the other; observations on this and other plants sent.

'Cistus marifolius' of "English botany" has every flower with only 4 petals. Glad to accept Cornish specimens; requests 'Pisum maritimum' of Norfolk coast.

In addition to plants already mentioned, sending: 'Gallium boreale', 'Scutellaria minor', 'Silene acaulis', 'Gnaphalium rectum', and 'Veronica spicata' or 'V. hybrida'. Found 'Lobelia dortmanna' in the alpine lakes; offers to send catalogue of the plants he found [on his Welsh botanical excursion].

Thanks Smith for naming genus ['Daviesia'] after him. Refers to 'Festuca ovina' as a viviparous plant noticed by Linnaeus and presents several other viviparous plants he has found : 'Phleum pratense' in Anglesea and observed by [Albrecht von] Haller [(1708-1777) naturalist]; 'Aira caespitosa' on sides of Snowdon; 'Poa aquatica' in Yorkshire; 'Poa alpina' on Snowdon; 'Poa annua' on Snowdon, also sent to William Hudson; and 'Cynosurus cristatus' in Anglesea, offers to send specimens, each name has a tick against it made by Smith, except 'Poa alpina' which has a circle. Unsure what genus 'Agrostis minima' belongs to, having compared a late flowering one collected by [Benjamin] Stillingfleet [(1702-1771) botanist] on a tour of Wales and an early flowering one found by himself in Anglesea. Does not agree with [Jonathan] Stokes' [(c 1755-1831) botanist] assertion in [William] Withering's "Botanical Arrangement" that it is a 'Poa'. Surprised that the 'Avena stirgosa' has so long eluded the knowledge of botanists. Will send specimen of 'Sisymbrium monense'.

Subjoins a copy of the letter that accompanied the shells of about 120 species he sent to the Linnean Society, some are listed: those collected in order to ascertain species mentioned in [Thomas] Pennant's "British Zoology" but absent in [Johann Friedrich] Gmemlin's [(1748-1804) naturalist] "Systema Naturae"; and to prove other species to be British that were omitted by [Emanuel Mendez] da Costa [(1717-1791) botanist]. His findings were communicated to Hudson for "Fauna Anglica" but lost in the fire that destroyed Hudson's work.

Pleased to hear of good prospect for health of his sister, Fanny, being treated by Dr Lubbock, would have preferred similar account for Mrs Fred Smith. [William] Withering has sent a parcel of specimens to Smith in London, including possible new species of 'Drosera'; notes. Hopes Smith examined the 'Fucus capensis' he sent; observations on discharge of seeds and capsules. Requests specimens of [Archibald] Menzies' North American 'Fucus' species; [Dawson] Turner has acquired some. Heavy snow.

Sending first part of second volume of his "Species plantarum", asks if Smith received the first volume and diploma of Society of Natural Scientists. Was unaware that Smith had named a genus 'Persoonia', in honour of [Christiaan Hendrik] Persoon; he also named a genus after Persoon in his "Species plantarum", proposes alternative 'Marshallia' for his, in honour of L B Marshall of Biberstein. Sending article from "Transactions of the Natural Scientists".

Four sided list of queries and notes on the numbered plants he has sent Smith over the previous six years.

Postpones their meeting; surprised Smith is already thinking of returning to London. Glad Smith is named editor of [John] Sibthorp's "Flora Graeca"; it will give Sibthorp more credit; Smith has the notes from his examination of Tournefort's herbarium at Paris; and will add an "additional leaf" to Smith's "wreath, already sufficiently full". Poor health of Smith's sister, Fanny, and sister-in-law, [Mrs Frederick Smith]. Thanks for parcel from [William] Withering, which contained seed of 'Bromus diandrus', which could become a valuable grass to sow for sheep pasture; 'Anthoxanthum verna' has similar properties; asks if Smith knows anyone willing to experiment with 'Poa annua' for same end.

Has left instructions for his 'Fucus' paper for next "Linnean Transactions" to be delivered to Smith, and has included a drawing of the "singular and curious 'Conferva'" to be engraved and coloured by [James] Sowerby. Thinks it unfortunate that the plates for the "Transactions" are not well executed, and suggests charging Fellows 5 shillings on receipt of their copies.

The "calamitous state of the times" will oblige them to carry out any further correspondence "across the ocean".

Replies to Smith's letter of 9 August 1798. Working on long delayed paper [on cattle]. Spent time in Fifeshire, Perthshire, and Roxburghshire last year, found no new acquisitions but saw 'Oenanthe fistulosa', 'Sison inundatum', 'Pilularia globulifera', 'Convallaria polygonatum', 'Euonymus europaeus', 'Utricularia', roots of 'Serapies longifolia', 'Valeriana diocia'.

"Flora Britannica" much anticipated. Recently received specimens from Lady Ashburton, in Devon, of 'Scilla autumnalis', 'Convolvulus soldanella', 'Colyledon umbil.', 'Crithmum maritimum', and species of 'Geranium'. Natural History Society of Edinburgh recovering from late treasurer, Mr Cunningham's, insolvency and loss of their funds; they have committed all funds and secretaryship to himself. His solitary mode of life. Smith's labours on British grasses will be much appreciated. Thanks for specimens from Smith.

Received Smith's letter of 19 [April]; sorry to hear the indifferent accounts of Smith's sister. Determined not to quit this house though this winter has been severe: lost many sheep and has already sold 330 skins, thinks corn will be scarce and bad, and has not sown his oats due to the wet. His daughter [Mariamne Johnes] sending in another letter Conchium flower that Smith requested some time ago. Asks Smith to acquire for him from Bristol "this famous oxygenated muriatic acid that gives such a powerful stimulus to seeds".

Sees that Dr [Robert John] Thornton [(c 1768-1837), physician and writer on botany] has "done wonders" with Dr [Thomas] Beddoes' [(1760-1808), chemist and physician] airs [Beddoes founded the Pneumatic Institute, which advocated the inhalation of "factitious airs" as a medical treatment]; "they will make a new & grand epocha in medicine" and "surely he deserves more thanks than this ungrateful nation will give him". Wonders if they would do any good for his daughter in reducing the tumours she has near the chin and on some of her glands; her back is now almost flat.

Davies still wants Croft though he is "a poor devil & not deserving of it" but has a proposal for another estate which if it succeeds will make him comfortable.

Epitaph on death of Emma Smith, wife of his brother, Frederick Smith.