At request of the publishers sending Smith a copy of new edition of "Lee on Botany". Explains that he had no inclination to have any involvement with the new edition, but the publishers added his name and dedicated it to Smith in his name, "which is an effrontery truely in unison with Paternoster Row". Expects, if it is "a piece with all Lee's life" [James Lee (1715-1795), father of writer of this letter], that it will contain "many blunders & falsehoods".

Sends "English botany" as usual but late, and adds profile of [Peter Simon] Pallas as a present from [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert, who has given the plate to Linnean Society. Sends a couple of drawings for "English botany" and some of Smith's specimens and drawings. He has begun some things for "Icones pictae", asks if Smith wishes to go on with it. Hopes to get faster out of debt this year. Encloses £20 bank note and package from [William] Borrer.

Sending profile of Pallas, plants, and drawings until some "Flora Graeca" is sent.

Rejects Smith's proposal to give Brown's name to Brown's genus 'Josephia'; explains how he previously considered 'Dryandra' and others. Sends Smith two 'Orchidaceae' to be considered instead and suggests 'B. tropica' or 'B. sencea' for one and 'B. australis' for the other, observations on second and third pages [crossed through in pencil]. Urges a swift "baptizm" if acceptable to Smith so as to include them in the "Prodromus" he is currently working on. Suggests an appendment to Smith's "Lapland tour", currently in the press, in the form of an essay on its botany by [Georg] Wahlenberg. [Alexander] Macleay has fractured the fibula of his right leg. An essay on 'Proteaceae' by "Knight & co." [Richard Salisbury published Brown's 'Proteacea' under the name of Joseph Knight (c 1777-1855), gardener for George Hibbert (1757-1837, merchant), see RelatedMaterial].

Informs and consigns to Smith the description and drawings of the Malabar 'Cardamomum minus' he had made three years ago, including account of its cultivation. James Anderson of Madras had intended for it to be published in Asiatik Researches but the "commotions" which occupied the governor [Sir George Hilario Barlow, 1st Baronet (1762-1847), Governor-General of India, 1805-1807] during the latter months of his administration prevented its publication.

"Sarum Knight" and "Knight Sarum" [Richard Salisbury and Joseph Knight (c 1777-1855), gardener for George Hibbert (1757-1837, merchant] "do not quite agree in their tales" [regarding Salisbury's publication of Robert Brown's names for 'Proteacea' under Knight's name, see RelatedMaterial]. Will send specimens of 'Aegiphyla' and lemongrass. Has or will see [Samuel Goodenough], Sir Abraham Hume, Sir Richard Hoare, and [Robert] Brown. Smith to send specimens of 'Typha minor' and 'Phlomis lunarifolia'. Offers to send specimens of 'Phlomis samia' and the "Cliffortium" plant. [Edward Daniel] Clarke's "Travels" about to be published, he has given the 500 species of plants to Lambert.

Apologises for delay in sending Smith the information he requested in his last letter. Transcribes character of 'Ulva plantanginea' ('Tremella marina' of Dillenius) from [Albrecht Wilhelm] Roth's "Catalecta botanica", observations on description.

Has written to [Lewis Weston] Dillwyn [(1778-1855), naturalist] on subject of 'Ulva turneri' being published in "English botany", as Dillwyn had intended to publish it in "Linnean Transactions"; thinks it satisfactorily distinct from 'U. fistulosa', and thinks same of Miss Hutchin's 'U. ramulosa' and branched varities of 'U. compressa'; observations. Has never had 'Conferva fibrata' in fruit, and neither drawings nor specimens of 'C. radicans', having given all he had to Dillwyn when he published his "Synopsis".

Encloses a 'Conferva' just received from [William Jackson] Hooker. Pleased that Smith obtained [Heinrich Adolph] Schrader's "Flora [Germanica]" and has good opinion of it; hopes it and [Daniel Matthias Heinrich] Mohr's [(1780-1808), botanist] "cryptogamic flora" will be finished. Has requested [William] Borrer's first genera of 'Lichen' for comparison against Smith's, hopes Borrer will finish and publish without waiting for remaining genera.

Returns Linnaean 'Fucus' specimens.

Forwarded Smith's letter to Dr [John] Sims [(1749-1831), physician]. Suffering from a "smartish fit of gout". The engagement of a reader makes sitting in the chair at the Linnean Society "very pleasant". Wonders how the Society can express its dissatisfaction at [Richard] Salisbury's disrespectful treatment of [Robert] Brown [Salisbury's publication of names of 'Proteacea' first described by Brown, see RelatedMaterial]. The Parliamentary "storm" has begun. Glad Smith is so earnest about the fourth volume of "Flora Britannica". [Alexander] MacLeay "most dangerously ill with an inflammation in his bowels", concerned for his wife and twelve children.

Introduces Mme. Solvyus; botany of Egypt.

Sends seeds.

Thanks for Australian plants; La Billardiere; working on new ed. of the "Genera"; requests information of new genera published in England.

Sends parcel from [George] Don. Error with Smith's new species 'Hieracium prenanthoides' in "English botany", confusion with 'H. denticulatum'; discusses in detail.

Confined with rheumatism since Christmas. Account of his tour of Scotland with his son last July: went at invitation of Duke of Gordon, it was his first time north of the Tweed river and they travelled 900 miles visiting Edinburgh, Sterling, Crieff, Perth, Brechin, Alexander Brodie's at the Burn purchased of Lord Adam Gordon, Aberdeen, Inverurie and Huntly to Gordon Castle, James Brodie's "bad old house", Inverness, the Highland Road, on which without servant and carriage they would have been "lost in difficulties", and Glasgow, before returning home via Carlisle, Keswick, Ambleside, and Lord Lonsdale's [William Lowther, 1st Earl Lonsdale (1757-1844)] new home at Lowther, "a gothic palace, & tho' only begun 2 years since is already inhabited by all the family", by architect [Robert] Smirke [(1780-1867)]. Intention of tour was "to gain new ideas of country & inhabitants, and refused all opportunity of sporting" and did not search for plants as his son is not a botanist. Brodie has botanic garden for British plants and went salmon fishing with him: where they are most plentiful is the worst for angling as "they are harrassed with nets night & day, & have no time to feed". The Duke [of Gordon's] fishery, on river Spey, is let for 6000 guineas per annum and is said make a fortune with 2000 fish taken in one day, saw the icehouses which are entirely above ground so the melted ice sinks into sand. Largest fish ever caught was at Aberdeen May 1762, weighing 63lb Dutch weight.

Smith's 'Glaucium fubrum' thriving with him. Amused to find that [Dawson] Turner's figure of '[Fucus] siliquosus' was copied from his own. [Thomas] Marsham has recovered his credit and sent Colonel Tindall of Scarborough, [Yorkshire], the microscopic objects he promised. Recently took a drop of mercury for an ailment, hopes to never have to again. Details of a new heating system installed for his workshops, which are extremely cold in winter. Treated lumbago and pain in his legs with calomel and opium, having received no benefit from his own nostrum and James's pills. When Smith goes to London requests him to bring the plants he asked Smith to name two years ago.

Collected 'Satyrium repens' and 'Pyrola secunda' in woods at Gordon Castle and Brodie gave him 'Eriocaulon'.

Believes the 'Parmelia' from St Leonard's Forest and common on beech trees is a distinct species, most resembles 'P. lavigata' and 'P. scortea'; differences and similarities. Observations on 'Lecidea synothea', sent [James] Sowerby specimen , also sending 'Lichen olivacens', and flowers of the Sussex elm. Corrections for "English botany": error in translation of vexillum; [Robert] Brown first discoverer of 'Lichen mentosus' in Britain, having found it in Aberdeenshire in 1794.

Thanks Smith for sending the willow-cuttings, especially 'Salix russelliana'. Sir Joseph Banks is "uncommonly well" after using a "French quack medicine" for gout, at the behest of Lord [George John] Spencer, called Eau Medicinale de d'Husson; short description of his relief after the first dose. Attests for efficacy of the medicine: Major [James] Rennell [(1742-1830), cartographer] and twenty others have all tried it with the same immediate relief, it is unknown from which plant it is derived. Death of [Henry] Cavendish [(1731-1810), natural philospher]; short obituary. Plans for altering and improving the Royal Institution have met with little opposition.

All students of botany here dismayed to be cut off from contact with British scholars. Has dedicated his new edition of Linnaeus' "Philosophia botanica" to the Linnean Society and is sending it via Hornemann of Copenhagen; currently unable to send his "Historia rei herbariae" (1807-1808).

Commends his friend, the son of Hagen of Königsberg, to Smith; wishes he could accompany him to Britain to study the treasures there. Requests news of Smith's studies and [Sir Joseph] Banks' old age.

Forwarded Smith's letter to George Don and [Pleasance] Smith's letter to Miss Casmajor. Informs Pleasance Smith he has read and profited from [John] Gay's [(1685-1732), poet and dramatist] "Fables". Hopes Smith fulfills his pledge of publishing fourth volume of "Flora Britannica" this spring. 'Hieracium murorum' growing in garden walls of Rose Castle, fears this information will be too late for Smith to publish and suggests including in Smith's next publication of Don's species. Cold weather has made his gout linger. An angry debate is coming up in Parliament; weary of party politics but this is preferable to Lord Grenville [William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville (1759-1834), prime minister 1806-1807] coming in with the "hungry, unprincipled fellows that must come in with him, both in Church & State". Pities Napoleon's new Austrian wife [Marie Louise of Austria (1791-1847), married 11 March 1810], "she is a good figure, it is said, & a fine shape, but her face is not handsome - rather short & wide" and fears for her happiness should she be infertile.

Thanks for moss specimens; his 'Hypnum myosuroides' is 'H. curvatum'. If Smith and Mrs Smith ever travel north invites them to visit his "excellent house", built by himself and provides details of coaches.

Mr Martin [Smith's brother-in-law] remains "very lame" and will have a long recovery but his general health is good. [Liverpool Botanic] Garden going on well. [John] Shepherd [(c 1764-1836, curator Liverpool Botanic Garden] intends to send Smith a curious 'Cryptogamian' plant via John Fraser [(c 1750-1811), botanist], who has just returned from a 3 year expedition in America with thousands of new and valuable plants; they are being sent to Chelsea via canals; Fraser spoke warmly of Smith.

Considering writing botanical paper on "a subject so critical that no one else dare venture upon it" [comparison of systems of Linnaeus and Jussieu], which will complete his public image as being "heretic in religion, a sceptic in history, a malcontent in politics"; intends to quote Smith in support of Linnaeus.

Thanks for Smith's letters of 24 April and 3 May, his daughter [Mariamne Johnes] thanks Smith for the seeds. Has had a severe cold and fever and sprained his ankle in a fall. Asks Smith's brother the best place and persons to buy crimson serges from. Flattered by Smith's dedication [in his "Tour to Hafod" (1810)]; crossed out a few words in the preface for displaying "far too much vanity on my part, and alas this place has gained me enemies enough". Supposes it comes out the same time as his [Enguerrand de] Monstrelet [(1400-1453), French chronicler] translation, of which the entire edition has sold before publication. Impatient to go home but it will not be complete till the end of the month. Surprised by number of books he has saved from the fire or from being thieved; Smith's "Insects [of Georgia]" amongst them, and once all arranged expects to have a finer collection than before.

[In postscript] thanks Smith for wheat, which he sowed into the garden straight away.

Introduces himself. Has brought his collections of 'Fucus' and 'Conferva' to London, gathered from north Devon coast over the last 4 years; [John] Stackhouse considers many to be new species; invites Smith to inspect them at Sir Joseph Banks' house. Offers Smith specimens of each of the 'Fucus'.

[Spec 16 in pencil at top of verso of folio]