Believes [Francis] Buchanan is mistaken about Roxburgh's son who is according to her "apprehension" in possession of his father's place [in India]. Believes [William] Roxburgh is neither soliciting "his late place, or for that son". Comments that Mr Roxburgh [probably William Roscoe (fl 1780s-1810) superintendent of East India Company's spice plantations at Fort Marlborough, Sumatra] has "succeeded particularly well", bringing "spices to perfection at Bencoolen, [Sumatra]" in the Company's own establishments, something they "have very much at heart". Though she generally wishes to serve anyone Smith esteems cannot in this case turn Roxburgh's son out. Amused by [William] Roscoe's and Smith's "different appellations" of Liverpool voters, Smith referring to them as "slave-mongers" and Roscoe as "worthy constituents". Wishes him well although believes he cannot in private life be a better man than the one he has turned out, "seldom the politicks of the study turn out well in the Cabinet". Happy to see men of ability come forward when England is in danger [fear of imminent French invasion], commenting on the poverty, depression, insolence and larceny in Europe under the "tyrant" [Napoleon Bonaparte]. In a postscript on recto of first folio Hume notes that the 'Nadina officinalis' is coming into flower.

Encloses Lord [Edward Smith-]Stanley's FLS nomination certificate and asks Smith to find two signatories. Asks for copies of his last arrangement of genus 'Canna' and the first copy of of his paper on 'Scitamineae' plants; agrees that the genus needs investigation; wishes he had seen Smith's 'Canna glauca' in "Exotic botany" as Smith's figure differs entirely from 'Canna glauca' of "Hortus Elthamensis"; his knowledge of the two kinds of the genus, the nerved leaved kind, including 'Canna lutea', 'Coccinea', 'Canna latifolia', and the glaucos kind, including 'Cannacorus' of "Hortus Elthamensis", Smith's 'glauca', 'Maranta arundinacea' and 'Maranta sylvatica', which both agree with 'lutea' of [Nikolaus von] Jacquin; small ink sketch of detail of plant. Intends to distribute 'Monandrian' plants to friends with stoves.

[Parts of this letter appears to have been written some time before its dating, as Roscoe mentions being called to offer himself as a candidate in the election, which he won in early November].