Had hoped to congratulate Goodenough in person on his appointment as Bishop of Carlisle at Linnean Society anniversary meeting but his wife and three servants have been suffering from "a sort of rheumatic epidemic" and so has delayed coming to London. The symptoms include intense pain in the back of the limbs, insomnia, and in some cases considerable emaciation and debility. Sending some Latin for "Flora Graeca" for Goodenough to correct. His sister in Liverpool invites Goodenough to stay on his way to Carlisle.

Asks Goodenough to frank an enclosed letter to John Hawkins, Dallington, near Northampton, [Northamptonshire].

Has still not received a letter from Goodenough. Wants Goodenough to read his paper on the new genus 'Hookeria', named after William Jackson Hooker, at the Linnean Society and asks that Goodenough overlook the clash with [Richard] Salisbury's 'Hookera', named after [William] Hooker [(1779-1832)], botanical artist for "Paradisus Londinensis", a "man of no knowledge & of even less character". Has found that Salisbury and William Hooker have been stealing copies of Sir Joseph Banks' drawings and publishing them as drawn from Lady Essex's garden. His wife still helpless with a painful rheumatic illness. Intends to be at the Linnean Society on 19 April.

Insists that he sent a franked letter to Smith after leaving Rochester, it included praise of Smith's "Introduction to Botany" [not extant]. His new duties at the House of Lords more time consuming than he anticipated. Thinks naming plants after unworthy people "lowers the science" [in reference to Richard Salisbury naming 'Hookera' after his botanical artist William Hooker [(1779-1832)]. Sends back Smith's work [for "Flora Graeca"] with queries on Latin usage for several items. Spent the day with [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert who has just received large addition of [New] South Wales plants to his herbarium. Sir Abraham Hume, Admiral and Mrs Essington, General [Francis (c 1758-1814)] and Mrs Grose, [Alexander] Macleay, [Thomas] Marsham, and Lord Seaforth were also there. Wrote to Dawson Turner correcting 'Griffithsii' to 'Griffithsiae'. Persuaded Hume to become a FLS. Shall discuss the new Geological and Entomological societies the next time he sees Smith. Mrs Lynn in decline. Hopes to visit Smith's sister in Liverpool on his way to Carlisle.

Grateful for Goodenough's comments on "Flora Graeca" manuscript, discusses use of 'Atho', corrected by [John] Hawkins to 'Athone', and other Latin. Laments the loss of Goodenough's critical letter on his "Introduction to Botany", a similar thing occured when the Duke of Portland franked a letter to him on his "[Sketch of a] Tour [on the continent]". Pleased that Sir Abraham Hume is to become a FLS. Dawson Turner grateful for Goodenough's correcting [of the name 'Griffithsii' to 'Griffithsiae'] and it shall be published in "English Botany" as 'Griffithsiae'. His wife has relapsed into her rheumatic illness. Lord Seaforth an "excellent & very acute man". Directs Goodenough to [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert for news of [Richard] Salisbury stealing a figure of 'Byblis' from Sir Joseph Banks.

His need to vent with Goodenough like the Suffolk baronet and wife of their acquaintance, who when apart write to each other every day with minimal formalities, and when Sir Thomas Frankland used to write to him with the "most delightful epistolia" of the moment. Recollects the day he spent with Yeates and Broussonet in the woods of Corby Castle, near Carlisle, where he caught and gave to [Thomas] Marsham 'Elater cuprens' and 'Scarabaeus arvicola', wonders why Marsham has only named Yorkshire for the former species and not mentioned him [in "Entomologica Britannia"]. Found 'Elater pectinicornis' on Cromford Moor near Matlock. Noticed that Dr [Samuel] Johnson [(1709-1784), author] explains the "shard-born beetle" of the poets as born or produced among broken stones or pots, Smith thinks it must mean "borne, or flying about, on shards, or shells (testae)".

Argues for his new 'Hookeria' [after William Jackson Hooker] and 'Brodiaea' genera being put forward in spite of [Richard] Salisbury having already published Smith's 'Brodiaea' as 'Hookera' [in "Paradisus Londinensis", after William Hooker (1779-1832), botanical artist]: wrote his papers on 'Hookeria' and 'Brodiaea' before hearing of Salisbury's intention for 'Hookera' and would not normally object except that Salisbury's Hooker is not a botanist and an associate "in an infamous fraud" on Sir Joseph Banks [stealing figures of 'Byblis' and other plants and presenting them as their own]. Urges Goodenough to read his letter in the "Monthly Magazine" [April 1808 edition] which addresses an erroneous statement in the botanical report in [the February 1808] issue of the magazine conjecturing on the nature of the dispute between himself and Salisbury, which is independent of botany.

Discusses etymology and usage of 'Atho' in "Flora Graeca". Reassures Smith he read and sent a letter on Smith's "Introduction to Botany". Advocates revival of exhibits of material at Linnean Society meetings. Thinks Smith correct about Dr [Samuel] Johnson's [(1709-1784), author] "shard-born beetle". Sick of attending the "tiresome, ill-conducted debates" at the House of Lords.

Forwards letters to SmithEncloses letters [not extant]. Invited to Royal Academy dinner, suspects the invitation is due to Smith.

Forwarded Smith's letter to [George] Don, did not know that 'Limosella' cannot be found in Scotland but remembers it growing on Hounslow Heath and cultivating it in his Ealing garden. There are no naturalists in the Carlisle area or anyone to collect plants. Lists plants he has observed in the area: the variety of 'Plantago maritima' called 'Loeflingii' by [William] Hudson, in elevated moist positions, smaller and with untoothed leaves, does Smith know of it growing in such conditions away from the sea; 'Salix pentandria' in all the moist hedges; 'Campanula latifolia' in shady lanes by Rose Castle; 'Fumaria capreolata' in cornfields amongst turnips, contrary to Smith's statement that it is a southern plant; 'Senecio sarracenicus', possibly escaped from a garden; 'Sanguisorba officinalis', a favourite Oxfordshire plant; 'Serapias latifolia'; 'Salix repens'; a tree called bird-cherry or heckberry, possibly 'Prunus padus'; 'Rubus corylifolius' is common. The hills and wastes are in a wild state and covered with 'Erica vulgaris', 'Juncus squarrosus', 'Tormentilla reptans', 'Lichen rangiferinus' and similar.

Received letter from Hugh Davies complaining that [Edward] Donovan [(1768-1837), zoologist] has attacked him and [Thomas] Pennant over the Beaumaris shark and trifurcated hake in Pennant's "British Zoology", claiming that Pennant did not refer to Davies' figure but instead fabricated his own, and that Pennant makes Davies guilty of gross misrepresentation over the trifurcated hake; Donovan concludes that these fabricated figures left Goodenough wrongly informed in his "Linnean Transactions" paper on the Porbeagle shark, and Donovan is convinced that the Beaumaris and Porbeagle sharks are the same. Goodenough convinced that both his and Pennant's figures are exact and the sharks are different. Exasperated by those, like [Richard] Salisbury, "thinking to raise themselves at other people's expense" and "carping jealousies" engendered by learned societies.

Rose Castle prettily situated but six miles from the nearest badly supplied market town and the house thermometer is already halfway between temperate and freezing.

Comments on two specimens he saw in [George] Don's open letter to Smith: if the 'Hypericum' is not named suggests 'ciliatum' or 'crinitum', and the 'Lamium' has a deeper coloured flower than any of its affinities. Warns Smith to not let [James] Sowerby disgust Don nor put him to needless expense as he is one of Smith's most valuable correspondents.

Events in Spain: Glad the populace and the Ministers are eager for an investigation into the "Portugal business"in Spain [Peninsular War, 1807-1814, war between France and Spain, Portugal, and Britain for control of Iberian Peninsula]. Goodenough enraged by Bonaparte's invasion, "never was there in the history of man a more barefaced invasion of natural right and justice". Eager to hear of the fourth volume of "Flora Britannica". Shall soon begin to think that there is a "party rising up bent on vexing old naturalists - Salisbury, [Edward] Donovan [(1768-1837), zoologist] - I would not willingly add Sowerby".

Forwarded Smith's letter to [George] Don and believes Don will be satisfied with Smith's conciliatory manner and correct his mode of publication, which is symptomatic of a general surplus of natural history publications: "everyone [is] publishing, quite to the nausea of purchasers, the commonest things - when [George] Shaw [(1751-1813), naturalist] published the cock-sparrow & the common snail, I thought it high time to discontinue the Nat[urali]st's Miscellany". Don's discoveries are very valuable; the 'Hypericum' and 'Equisetum' were new to him. Believes others have been more devious than Don has been in attempting to naturalise foreign plants; cites example of Laurents and himself sowing 'Sisymbrium polyceratium' in the streets of Bury [in reference to claims by James Donn of Cambridge Botanic Garden that Don had used Cambridge seeds to grow and then claim as plants indigenous to Scotland, see RelatedMaterial]. Thinks Don's 'Lamium' a distinct species especially if the leaves are constantly petriolated.

Hugh Davies sent him his three species of articulated 'Juncus' but one had no leaves to it [see RelatedMaterial below]. Remembers the 'Sempervivum sediforme' at Kew and contending with [William] Aiton [(1731-1793), gardener at Kew] that it was 'Sedum', Aiton convinced it was 'Sempervivum' on [Daniel] Solander's authority. Pleased by Smith's proficiency in Greek and with Dioscorides, recommends Theophrastus and Bodaeus' notes. Sorry to see that "envious creature [Richard Salisbury] again barking at you" and reaffirms that Smith is the "King of Nat[ural] History". Was not aware that Dr [John] Hull [(1761-1843), physician and botanist] was of such a "predatory turn". Eager to see "Flora Britannica" complete but glad to find "Florae Graecae Prodromus" progressing so well.

Smith's reply to Goodenough's letter dated 12 November 1808. Has Bodaeus' Theophrastus but as [John] Sibthorp's intention was to illustrate Dioscorides does not intends to go further with "Flora Graeca" or "Florae Graecae Prodromus". Requests Goodenough's advice whether to follow [Richard] Salisbury's new generic name for 'Nymphaea alba', 'Castalia', after the manner the petals "chastely fold over & cover the organs of impregnation", in "Florae Graecae Prodromus". Smith would prefer it to be after the Castalian fountain of Greek mythology. Salisbury has separated it from 'Nymphaea lutea' as proposed by Smith in "Introduction to Botany". Believes that 'Nymphaea alba' in Dioscorides provides enough evidence for keeping that name and proposes 'Blephara', also from Dioscorides, for the other generic name, and provides characters for each. Observes how curious it is that 'Nymphaea alba' is strictly gynandrous according to the more correct character of 'Gynandria'.

Believes he has quoted Dr [John] Hull [(1761-1843), physician and botanist] more than commending him, he is a "mere compiler". Bishop of Norwich [Henry Bathurst (1744-1837)] gratified to hear of Goodenough's remembrances and is quite recovered, although he lately had a fall at Holkham, [Norfolk, home of Thomas William Coke] after opening the cellar door. Asks Goodenough to frank enclosed letter to Mrs Smith in Liverpool. Amelia Hume's 'Chrysanthemum indicum' in flower. Will send part of his 'Sedum ochroleucum' in a frank for Goodenough to grow.

Forwarded Smith's letter to Mrs Smith. Firmly against allowing [Richard] Salisbury to "desecrate the name Castalia" and make it serve for the denomination of a plant inhabiting "foul, stagnating, fetid water" [Castalia was a nymph transformed into a fountain by Apollo]. Additionally objects to it on grounds of being contrary to the rules of analogy and its being a Greek word, thus having nothing to do with Latin etymology. Discusses in detail Dioscorides' nomenclature in reference to Smith's proposed 'Blephara' genus and suggets either 'Nuphar' or 'Madonia'. Suggests correction to Smith's 'Blephara' character. Still receiving invitations to dinner from the Geological Society after repeatedly stating that he cannot join them or any other dining society.

Suffering from a sharp attack of gout. Proposes three emendations, in Latin, of Smith's note of observation in "Flora Graeca" on 'Nymphaea' and 'Castalia' in order to check [Richard] Salisbury and give a Classical reason. Thinks that if the Spanish think themselves warriors and fight a pitched battle it will put a quick end to their hopes [Napoleon's invasion of Spain in 1808]. The 'Sedum ochroleucum' Smith sent is growing well.

[Note] "Charles Lyell Esq, Lyndhurst, Hants." at foot of second folio.

Hopes Goodenough received package sent via [Charles] Lyell and [James] Sowerby, which included: 'Agrostis arundinacea', 'Carduus polyanthus', new 'Choraphyllum', 'Centaurea intybacea', and 'Urceolaria deamonta'.

Numbered observations on enclosed specimens: 1. 'Carex' like 'C. michellia'; 2. 'Carex' like 'C. flacca'; 3. new 'Carex'; 4. 'Saxifraga' distinct from 'S. hynoides'; 5. new 'Silene' proposed 'S. intermedia'; 6. new 'Silene' proposed 'S. hybrida'; 7. unknown 'Epilobium'; 8. 'Mesea longiseta'; 9. 'Orabus angustifolius'; 10. 'Hieracium' near 'H. alpinum'.

Observations on 'Hieracium ramosum' and 'Epilobium caudifolium'. If he had known what Goodenough said of Sowerby in sufficient time would not have troubled him. Will send 'G. uliginosum' and 'Galium verrocosum' seeds in summer, observation on 'Equisetum'. Asks Goodenough to forward this letter to Dr [James Edward] Smith.

Four plant specimens, including 1, 3 and 8.

Has had a sharp fit of gout in his right hand. Hopes Smith liked his last alterations [probably to Smith's Latin]. Sees that Smith has "pacified [George] Don at once, he appears to be a most valuable correspondent", disusses Don's 'Carex' specimens. Hopes to be in London by 10 January [1809].