Glad Smith has received "Flora Oxoniensis", explains its rushed production and how it only contains plants he has seen. In his opinion latter classes of Linnaean system benefit from being "melted down amongst the others" but concern that in Germany the mixing has "almost spoiled its shape and form", disliking especially Gmelin's mixing of 'Icosandria' and 'Polyandria'. Was ill in Constantinople with a bilious fever and colic but has since conducted a full botanical exploration of the Bosphorus, woods of Belgrade, and sands of Domusderi on Black Sea. Has observed nearly 800 plants and obtained seeds of 'Daphne pontica' and 'Convolvulus persicus'. Queries 'Epimedium alpinum', ubiquitous in Belgrade woods which are barley mountainous. Frustration at custom of burning of forests, "very unfriendly to researches of the Cryptogamist", has only observed 'Boletus lucidus' the 'Boletus marginalis' of [Pehr Forsskål (1732-1763)]. 'Rosa centifolia' grows wild, pleasant odour from its mixing with 'Smilax'. Shores of Bosphorus poor in 'Fucus' and 'Testacea'. Collected fifty species of fish, many species of 'Labrus' present, inferior flavour of 'Julus' which is often sold in markets. Dolphins playful in the Bosphorus, gulls are as tame as pigeons. 'Procellaria puffinus' known locally as "souls of the damned". A 'Percnopterus' [Egyptian vulture] perched in the tree he was reading under, "I could not resist, not having the fear of the Egyptians before my eyes, to shoot it". Insects limited to scorpions, mosquitos, bugs and 'Conops calcitrans'. [John] Hawkins is in "high preservation" and has "huge mustaches, which he is nursing" for a Syrian and Egyptian tour. Travelling with Hawkins in Greece to Thessaly, Attica and the Peloponnesus and wintering in Zante. In short postscript states that [François] Borone is in good health, "in action quite a Le Fleur".

Death of François Borone: apparently fell through a narrow window in his sleep into the street below, dying almost immediately. Gives account of funeral including attempt by the Archbishop to extort money for permission for the burial. Planning to visit the Morea with [John] Hawkins in January, returning to England in spring or early summer. Has visited Olympus, Troy, Lemnos, Mount Athos, and Negropont.

Returned to Oxford "with some affection of the lungs", bathed in tepid bath at Brighton and now nursing himself with asses' milk and gentle horseback exercise, considering a trip to Bristol. Details of journey from Greece: travelled from Zante, leaving [John] Hawkins there, to Otranto with excursion to Nicopolis, from Acona through the Tyrol. Visited [Johann Christian Daniel von] Schreber [(1739-1810)] in Erlang, Germany, who has monograph on 'Carex' ready, will adopt [Samuel] Goodenough's names if he receives a list, also ready with fasiculus of 'Gramina', intends to send Schreber 'Carex strigosa' and 'Carex indica' if Smith has duplicate of latter. Visited [Georg Franz] Hoffmann in Göttingen who has greatly improved the garden and is compiling a pocketbook synopsis on German Cryptogamia.

Told by [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert of "great treasures brought by [Francis] Masson [(1741-1805), Kew plant collector], [John] White and [Archibald] Menzies". Would like Smith to send "Icones picta" of Jacquin. Grief at death of François Borone, does not believe any of the other servants took any of his belongings. Last heard that Hawkins had gone to visit Ali Pashaw [Ali Pasha of Tepelena (1740-1822) Ottoman Albanian ruler of western part of Rumelia, Ottoman Empire's European territory] in Thessaly, Greece, in good health but "under alarm from robbers".