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No summary available.
Directs Smith to ask Sir A[braham] or Lady [Amelia] Hume to recommend him as a botanist to [Jacob] Bosanquet [a director of East India Company] and to solicit Bosanquet's assistance with promoting science in the Court [of Directors of the East India Company]. Approves of Smith naming 'Hatucona' after [William] Roscoe and compliments Roscoe's paper on 'Scitaminiae'. Recommends renaming 'Sussodia' if Smith is urgently looking to publish a 'Buchanania'. Recommends Smith reuse the name 'Colebrookia' on new genus in the order of 'Vitices'; laments barbarous nature of names.
Elected to Linnean Society Council. Has collected plants in Abyssinia and shells from the Red Sea. Offers Smith plants from his herbarium on his return to England in two months.
Sending specimen of 'Seseli gummiferum' for possible inclusion in "Exotic Botany", initially gathered from the Oxford Garden and identified from [Peter Simon] Pallas' herbarium held by [John Marten] Cripps [(1780-1853) traveller and antiquary] in Lewes, [Sussex], and mentioned in Pallas' "Travels in the Crimea" and a work by [Johann Gottlieb] Georgi [(1729-1802)]. [Thomas] Marsham has just visited. [Francis] Buchanan is going out [to India] with Lord Minto [Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto (1751-1814) Governor-General of India 1807-1813]. Smith to send him specimen of 'Echinophora spinosa'. Asks Smith's opinion of [Richard] Sal[isbury]'s "critique on Mr Dry[ander]". In postscript states "'Seseli gummiferum' is biennial & is perfectly hardy".
Delayed from executing Smith's wishes concerning [Francis] Buchanan, requests another "show-able" letter but unsure what use [Jacob] Bosanquet [a director of East India Company] can be to him seeing as Buchanan already has the sanction of the Governor-General [Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto (1751-1814)]. [James] Sowerby has had both 'Jasminum multiflorum' and 'Seseli gummiferum'. The sea-bathing at Worthing is very agreeable and picturesque.
Thanks for Smith's letter of 13 [August]. Will miss Smith's friend Colonel Purton as he will be at the Cardigan assizes. His wife has had a return of her spasms. [Thomas] Beddoes [(1760-1808), chemist and physician] has been dangerously ill but now convalescing; he is their "sheet anchor" as he knows all their constitutions so well. Describes interior and exterior improvements at Hafod; has let out the farm he had in hand at three times the rent as when he took it on, and has now begun improving 2000 acres of wildground to let out in four or five years time.
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'Ulva rubra' just figured in "English Botany" is definitely the plant [William] Hudson named to him. Anxious to hear whether rumours of [James] Brodie's death are true or not. Archdeacon Pierson's herbarium did not sell so is now to be raffled with sixty guinea tickets. Bad harvest weather.
His periodical publications delayed by his long stay in London. Gives an account of his correspondence with and about [Richard] Salisbury: received copy of Salisbury's pamphlet ["The generic characters in the English Botany"] and letter signifying that if Smith made concessions he would not publish it. Contrary to Salisbury's claims Salisbury's sisters deny any knowledge of the business. Salisbury has told [Archibald] Menzies he would "give £500" to have never written it but has continued to attack Smith in "Paradisus Londinensis". Is particularly hurt by Sir Joseph Banks' obliviousness to the personal nature of the attacks but has long "been aware of the queerness of this great man" and is now glad he took Goodenough's advice and did name himself only the editor "Flora Graeca", as Banks wanted. As part of an experiment on Banks' humour requested a drawing for use in "Exotic Botany", which was grudgingly granted. Believes his work on 'Globba marantina' and other 'Scitamineae' in "Exotic Botany", in part assisted by [William] Roscoe's paper to Linnean Society, is excellent. [Francis] Buchanan has given him his whole collection of Nepal and Mysore plants, all his manuscript descriptions, and nearly 200 drawings for publication in "Exotic Botany".
Literary plans for winter: intends to finish "Flora Britannica", write a popular introduction to botany, to finish and publish Linnaeus' "Lapland tour", besides going on with "Flora Graeca" and his two periodical works ["Exotic Botany" and "English Botany"]. The first fasciculi of "Flora Graeca" has just printed but with possible errors to correct. Struggled with the 'Umbellatae', 'Silene', and 'Dianthus' in "Prodromus Florae Graecae". The sore on his leg has completely healed but left a "tremendous scar". Finances of the Linnean Society extremely healthy. The alarming state of the nation; "we have only the choice of evils, and perhaps not even that". The new Bishop of Norwich [Henry Bathurst (1744-1837)] a "very amiable, benignant character".
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Further remarks on his 'Scitamineae' paper; transcribes note to be added explaining Smith's discovery which has abolished 'Colebrookia', and discusses possibility of abolishing 'Globba'. Agrees that Smith should reprint the first sheet of "Flora Graeca", on basis that Smith is the editor, not the author, and to make other corrections. Has not seen issue of "Exotic botany" containing the plant named after him ['Roscoea'].
Received Smith's letter of 2 September. Describes charms of the neighbourhood of Boxlet, his new living. Discusses Smith's dispute with Salisbury: Salisbury's use of his sisters' names in a false manner "degrades him from the rank of gentleman"; believes Salisbury wishes he never wrote his pamphlet ["Generic characters of English Botany"] but does not know how to retract it; does not intend to read any of Salisbury's "Paradisus Londinensis"; has thought him "too wild to take a lead" since a conversation with him about Salisbury changing the nomenclature of 'Erica'; advises Smith not to enter into a squabble with Sir Joseph Banks [over his unsympathetic attitude towards to Salisbury dispute], "like all great men, he in his way is open to the tittle tattle of designing persons"; Smith should mortify Salisbury with "contemptuous silence"; blames [William George] Maton for allowing the pamphlet into the Linnean Society whilst he was in the chair.
Smith should use the verncaular form of [John] Sibthorp and [Peter Simon] Pallas in his Errata, suggests wording for an explanatory note. His aquaintance with the Bishop of Norwich [Henry Bathurst (1744-1837)]. A botanist, Mrs Brereton, is coming to Boxley. In Boxley has observed 'Hieracium umbellatum', 'Chrysosplenium oppositifolium', 'Hedypnois hieracioides', and 'Crepis biennis'. Has looked in vain in Rochester for 'Viola hirta'. Thinks 'Orchis militaris' is not a variety. [Thomas] Marsham visited after staying with [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert, deplores Lambert's weakness in dispossessing himself of his landed property by giving the inheritance to his "unworthy sisters". His own daughters are still looking for husbands, "impoverished times for such a commodity".
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No summary available.
Forwards remarks by [John] Harriman on 'Lichens'; Smith one of the few botanists competent enough to form a judgement.
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Newly formed Agricultural Society of Jamaica desires Smith as an Honorary Member.
Thanks Smith for naming plant ['Roscoea'] after him in September issue of "Exotic botany"; discusses its claims to be a distinct genus based on his system. Unsure whether he should include the synoptical table in his 'Scitamineae' paper on account of it being "in the very teeth of Lin[naeu]s".
Ready to receive first parcel of herbarium Smith is preparing, and though [Liverpool Botanic] garden funds currently low is confident of success of a subscription for the herbarium. Has orders for several quatro copies of "Exotic botany"; asks [James] Sowerby to send direct rather than through booksellers. Suggests Sowerby and his son tour England to draw rare plants in private collections as research for "Exotic botany". Still considers Smith the "destined Editor of the works of Linnaeus"; discusses whether Smith should publish them by subscription. Proposes Lord [Edward Smith-]Stanley as FLS and requests certificate for his nomination.