Sends handwritten extract from "Mem. de l'Institut", 1807 4, on [Étienne Pierre] Ventenat's genus 'Poiretia'. His name 'Hovea' is after the Polish traveller Anthony Pantaleon Hove, a friend of William [Townsend] Aiton who has collected for Sir Joseph Banks' herbarium. Hopes Smith has a productive visit to Holkham, [Norfolk, home of Thomas William Coke]. [William Elford] Leach to succeed the late [George] Shaw at the British Museum. Banks in good health but has lost the use of his legs.

About the opportunities in law.

Thanks for present of game. Enquires after Smith's canvassing for Cambridge Botany Professorship. Awarded Gold Medal by the Royal Academy of Sciences of Stockholm for his edition of [Richard] Pulteney's "A general view of the writings of Linnaeus" although whereabouts of the actual medal is unknown.

Thanks for basket of game. [Thomas] Nuttall [(1786-1859)] admitted a member of Linnean Society and Lord Louvain proposed.

No summary available.

Thanks for Macleay's letter and interest in his concerns. Sorry Macleay has been so busy, but rejoices at the "glorious cause" of his multiplied engagements", in reference to the Dutch. Sent Macleay game from Holkham [Hall, home of Thomas William Coke], where the Duke of Gloucester [Prince William (1776-1834), chancellor of Cambridge University] was also staying.

He has made "considerable progress" in his views at Cambridge [candidacy for botany professorship], does not doubt succeeding, and may get botanic garden appointment in the meantime, enabling him to lecture in April, but more doubtful of this. Determined not to be knighted until he at least gets that appointment; thanks for Macleay's assistance, means to receive it as president of the Linnean Society. Asks that the Society forward money owing to [James] Sowerby, who is in debt with him, as are [John] Sibthorp's executors.

Using leeches on his bad knee again. Cataloguing his books. Pleased to hear that Smith met the Duke of Gloucester [Prince William Frederick (1776-1834), chancellor of Cambridge University] at Holkham [home of Thomas William Coke]; the Duke's character and his efforts to interest him to Smith's Cambridge candidature [for botany professorship]. Concerned to hear of Coke's illness.

Sending Smith a full critique of [William] Roxburgh's 'Sciatmineae' paper in 11th volume of "Asiastic Researches". Thanks for East India seeds. Will write to Dr [Martin] Davy of Cambridge recommending Smith's candidature. Has little to say on his "wind-plough" as yet, it will be finished next month and is a scheme of his bailiff, Stannard.

Wishes Smith success with his Cambridge candidature. Agrees with Smith that "the small 'Circaea'" is 'Circaea alpina' but thinks it differs from that in "English Botany". Has not made any further observations on 'Rubus'. 'Glechoma hederacea' is known in his neighbourhood as "ground ivy" and "robin-run-in-the-hedge", a tea is made from it for "scorbutic complaints".

Regret at imminent end of "English botany": errors to correct, including 'Conferva dissilieus' [see RelatedMaterial below]. Sending his Caithness specimen of 'Fucus crista' to [James] Sowerby.

Has not heard from from Smith or any of his other botanical correspondents for a long time, "botany has suffered much [...] by the unhappy interruption of mutual communications" [War of 1812, conflict between the US and Britain in North America, 1812-1815]. The President has given permission for Mr Whiston to travel to England to return with plants "for the use of science", Whiston introduced the [medicinal?] use of 'Urtica' and 'Asclepias' to America. Sending with him copies of his pocket book "Catalogus plantarum Americae septentrionalis", complains of difficulty of getting it or similar published. Hopes Smith and Sir Joseph Banks will assist Whiston. No book on fungi with figures in any of the public libraries of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, or Charlestown, asks [Dawson] Turner's book can be sent, or if specimens could be sent for comparisons with his own collection. Intends to send Turner specimens once navigation reopens. Would like observations on the 'Solidago' specimens he previously sent.

No summary available.

Encloses copy of his report on the "Fishes of New York"; brief notes on composition and general findings. "Valuable" "Linnean Transactions" are in their library. Offers to send copies of his report to [George] Shaw and [Edward] Donovan [(1768-1837), zoologist].