This is a manuscript copy of Pulteney's portion of a joint letter sent by Aylmer Bourke Lambert. It is not known when or by whom this copy was created.

Sends greetings, is kept up to date in botanical matters by the monthly receipt of "English Botany", wishes Smith success with "Flora Graeca", feels increasingly frail.

Thanks for £10 bank note and drawings. Suffering from headaches in the heat, expects relief at Lowestoft, [Suffolk]. Pleased Sowerby agrees with him about genus 'Phallus', "the old trivial names are unnecessarily indecent". His pupil, [William Fitt Drake], will look for anything curious at Lowestoft. Uncertain about Sowerby's 'Salix', which may be 'S. amygdalina'.

His sister Mrs Weston has had a girl, and his brother Francis' wife a boy. Expecting a visit from [Richard] Relhan. Wishes to know how to send a parcel to Sweden.

Preparing 'Salix' for the "The gardener's and botanist's dictionary", asks whether Smith agrees with [Georg Franz] Hoffmann's arrangement of the genus and for information on 'Salix hermaphroditica' and 'Salix pentandra'. Asks after various publications including: second volume of [Antonio José] Cavanilles' "Icones"; whether there are further [Jacques-Julien La] Billardiére fasciculi; whether [Peter Simon] Pallas published more of "Flora Rossica"; and if there will be anything further from [Charles Louis] L'Héritier [de Brutelle].

Grateful for Smith's account of his own consumptive condition which "confirms strongly how much we are often deceived by following a particular plan or medicine from the report of such a one having been relieved by it". Smith's condition is pulmonary and less serious than his son's as it does not tend to ulceration. Dr Pitcairn says his son has no symptoms of ulceration and strongly recommends undertaking the voyage to Madeira with anecdote of a debilitated neighbour who went last winter and recovered.

Details of his son's condition: he contracted a venereal complaint at Oxford last April and having always had a delicate constitution the treatment of it affected him so much that he was obliged to tell Lady Frankland the truth, and his stength had recovered his strength until he started spitting blood; he is now stronger and looks better than he did and is confident that a general and radical strengthening of his constitution will make him better. The concealment of his son's illness whilst he was in London caused himself two or three bilious attacks.

Describes habitat of 'Saxifraga hirculus' on Knutsford Moor, Cheshire, it grows with 'Vaccinium oxycoccos' and 'Menyanthes trifoliata'. Plans to plant it out on the larger bogs of Delamere Forest in case its current bog is drained. List of rarer plants of Cheshire, offers to send specimens or drawings of any Smith desires.

Printer lacks copy for current volume of "Linnean Transactions", and papers on humblebees and Correa's on 'Doryanthus' are missing. Will arrange for [Erik] Acharius and Dr Westring to be proposed as FMLS. [Thomas] Marsham just set off on tour through Wales, he desires Smith to solicit [James] Crowe for his subscription to the Linnean Society charter. The charter with currently with the Attorney and Solicitor General.

Relieved to hear of recovery in Smith's health. Encloses specimen of either Smith's 'Scirpus multicaulis' or 'S. viviparous', found Ampthill Bog. Previously sent it to [James] Sowerby with a Cyptogamous plant Sowerby named 'Blasia pusilla'.

["Spec. 3" annotated in pencil at top of verso of folio]

Sent plants to [James] Sowerby, listed, with details of habitats, including: 'Mentha gentilis', 'Hieracium umbellatum', 'Impatiens noli-tangere', 'Mentha arvensis', 'Poa distans'. Has found but not sending specimens of 'Bromus secalinus', 'Bromus multiflorus', 'Hypericum lubium'; has specimens in herbarium of 'Potentilla aurea', resisted persuasion to call it 'P. verna'. Asks if the fern he encloses is the 'Cyathea incisa' of "English botany" [Smith has annotated "'fragilis'"].

Received [James] Crowe's and Smith's subscriptions for Linnean Society charter.

Received balance of Smith and [James] Crowe's subscriptions to Linnean Society charter. He has been at Dover, [Kent], and all along the coast to Margate. [George] Shaw returned Huber's paper "without altering it in the least degree".

Thanks Smith for medical advice, prior to his letter had used "Whitehead's oil of turpentine" which had caused his leg complaint to become much more painful so took to seabathing for six weeks, with improvements from the third. Thanks for specimens, agrees with Smith's descriptions of 'Poa compressa' and 'Poa caesia'. Smith's 'Poa alpina' has helped determine that his is a distinct species, possibly 'Poa glauca' of [William] Withering. Sending more specimens of it. Thanks Smith for information on 'Cersatium latifolium'. Has sent a specimen of a plant from Anglesea he believes may be Smith's 'Carex laevigata'. After reading Smith's description of it in "Linnean Transactions" realised a mistake he had made about 'Carex binervis', which he took for 'Carex distans', sends speciemens of 'C. distans' [extant]. Encloses some moss specimens. Asks Smith's opinion of [Olof] Swartz's "Dispositio systematica muscorum frondosorum Sveciae" and [Erik] Acharius' "History of Swedish Lichens".

Has rewritten his lost description of 'Doryanthes', has enclosed it with two plates [not extant, see Related Material below]. In despair as after six years the Ambassador of Portugal, who is a relation of the Grand Inquistor, has reawoken the "ancient hatred" of his persecutors and desires to effect his ruin either in England if he can, or by sending him back to Portugal.

Encloses fructification of a palm new to him; describes the fructification. The Bishop [of Winchester, Brownlow North] has asked [James] Sowerby to visit to draw it. Description similar to 'Zamia pumila' [Smith has annotated "'Zamia cycadis' in margin of recto of second folio].

["Spec 20" written in pencil at top of verso of first folio]

Sends specimen of grass he found in a wood near Newtown Barry, Ireland, believes it to be close to Smith's 'Festuca calamaria'. List of habitats of Irish plants observed by him. Disappointed in attempts to establish a botanical garden of hardy herbaceous plants with Lord Valentia [George Annesley] by the "ignorance or imposition of nurserymen", asks Smith to recommend anyone in Norfolk willing to assist. Asks whether there is a treatise on the genus 'Aster', the descriptions in "Hortus Kewensis" and Marten's "Dictionary" being "very confused". Lord Valentia sends an index to first four volumes of [Carl Ludwig] Willdenow's "Species Plantarum". From the seeds Smith sent has been able to grow 'Helianthus decapetalus', 'Polymnia canadensis', 'Eupatorium kuhnia', 'Carduus carinatus', and 'Allium nutans'.

Details of their journey to Portsmouth, [Hampshire], to sail for Madeira on the Falcon under Captain Nash. His son stronger and more cheerful since leaving home and has no heats or chills. They have the best letters of recommendation and gun portfolios for amusement as there will be quails, red legged partridges and rabbits in abundance.

No summary available.

Thanks for Smith's "Tour"'. Comments on sermon by Smith's friend Houghton. Hopes to see Smith soon.

He and Mr Poulter have determined that what they once thought 'Zamia pumila' is in fact 'Zamia cycadis' of "Hortus Kewensis"; flowering in his garden, possibly for first time in Europe.

Ill-health has prevented him from sending for the willow specimens. Received collection of seeds from [William] Roxburgh including 'Smithia', Milne [(fl 1800s-1810s) William Beckford's gardener] has had some, offers to Smith. Also received from Roxburgh "the largest collection of specimens that ever came from India at one time" in part for Smith and Sir Joseph Banks. Transcribes Roxburgh's list explaining each layer of specimens within the chest. Notes four new species of nutmeg, fine specimens of 'Commersonia echinata' in fruit and flower, 'Rubus moluccanus', however none are named. Dined with [Jonas] Dryander and [Alexander] Macleay. Requests specimens and cuttings of the willows. In postscript states the great quantity of 'Molucca' specimens and mentions [Richard] Salisbury and Mill Hill.

No summary available.