Sends a piece of Arabic poetry for Lady Smith. Eulogises on the "pleasing associations" made by encounters with friends in the "noise and bustle" of London.

Sends specimen of 'Tulipa sylvestris'; the bulbs were taken from an island in the Derwent, near Derby; cultivation details. Sorry to miss opportunity of meeting Lady [Pleasance] Smith.

Account of Linnean Society anniversary meeting: 72 at the dinner, greatest number yet; lists attendees; details of his speech. Is to visit Lady Ramsay on the Isle of Wight with Harriet. There were 20 subscribers above the 120 wanted for Sir Joseph Banks' bust by [Francis Leggatt] Chantrey [(1781-1841), sculptor]. New Linnean Society house [in Soho Square] costs less than the old one [in Gerard Street]. His first [Royal Institution] lecture on 28 May and second on 31 May. Suffered a headache, now cleared. Prince Leopold did not attend [Linnean Society meeting] or send an answer, which they wonder at.

Thanks for plants and copy of "Selection of the correspondence of Linnaeus"; his admiration of [Peter] Collinson [(1694-1768)] and [John] Ellis [(1710-1776)] from reading their letters. Extremely cold spring. Joy at wild specimen of '[Hedysarum] gyrans' and majestic fruit of the "Dalichos". Will forward [David] Hosack's parcel to Smith.

Account of his [and Harriet's] journey from London to Cowes, including visit to Dr Hill and family in Southampton. Account of their reception by Lady Ramsay and her son, who is a keen botanist, and how they have spent their time. The "Linnaean Correspondence" much admired and likely to sell well; his "Grammar of Botany" ridiculously abused in the "Eclectic Review".

Account of his journey from Southampton to London, via Winchester, where he admired the cathedral and met [John] Latham. His London engagements. His future movements; intends to return to Norwich by end of June. Asks for directions regarding present of dress or ornament.

[Letter incomplete: folio[s] presumed destroyed]

Thanks for "A selection from the correspondence of Linnaeus"; hopes to have Smith to dinner next year when she has a house in London. Sending catalogue of her library at Eshton Hall, [Yorkshire]; found great part of the natural history books and classics at Bierly, and collected the rest herself.

Sending letter via Benson Rathbone. Forthcoming publications: publishing a 48 volume collection of the Italian poets with Mr Valpy, the London printer, discusses his ideas for the series; writing a life of [Alexander] Pope [(1688-1744), poet] and publishing a new edition of Pope's works with an association of London booksellers, a considerable labour considering the continuing debate as to his moral and poetical characters; adding an additional volume to his "Life of Lorenzo"; and his "Holkham Catalogue" [of manuscripts in library of Thomas William Coke].

'Hedychium excelsum' has flowered and a new species of 'Roscoea' sent as a species of 'Orchis' about to flower [at Liverpool Botanic Garden]; proposes name 'speciosa' or 'lucida', further remarks on the plant. Has made additions to genus 'Canna' and drawn up synoptical table of 20 species, and similar for 'Hedychium' and 'Curcuma' [for his "Monandrian plants of the order Scitamineae.."]. Thanks Smith for "Correspondence of Linnaeus & other Naturalists". Smith's anecdote about identity of the peach and nectarine reminds him of a similar confusion at Liverpool Botanic Garden where an unknown plant was distributed as 'Hedychium flavum' until it dramatically increased in size the following year and turned out to be 'H. coronarium'; [Roscoe has made a sketch of the flower, in ink].

Apologises to Lord Mountnorris [George Annesley] for detaining his 'Scitamineae' figures for so long; has made copies.

Received Smith's letter of 13 April. Thanks for the mistletoe berries. A severe drought in Scotland has killed many young trees, herbaceous plants and crops "so that famine is staring us in the face". Working on his index and has now reached 'Didynamia' and 1500 species and has completed his commentary on the first part of the "Herbarium Amboinense" intended for the Wernerian Society in Edinburgh but despairs at their tardiness. Will continue his work on the "Hortus Malabaricus".

Received Smith's letter of 23 April. Thanks for Smith's "Grammar of Botany", his son, Jules [Julius Hermann Schultes], plans to translate it into German. Has bought Palestinian, Cretan, and Egyptian plant collections from [Franz Wilhelm] Sieber.

Reliable account, from one of his labourers, of a hedgehog sucking udder of a cow, who 30 years ago whilst walking to work at 4 in the morning saw a cow stand up and a hedgehog fall from its udder. [Thomas] Bewick [(1753-1828), ornithologist] does not comment on this disposition whilst [Thomas] Pennant argues against it on account of smallness of the hedgehog's mouth; will ascertain this by measuring.

Feelings increasingly frail in mind and body, especially his legs, and has not been angling or worked in his workshop for sometime, and last year's shooting ended his sporting life. Received Banksian medal from Horticultural Society for his Green Egyptian melons. His son and daughter-in-law are creating a flower garden in the wood.

After an absence of twenty-six years and five months is soon to leave for Lisbon, Portugal, from Falmouth, Cornwall. His health is still frail.

Thanks for plants; had previously received some of the species from Nepal through [Nathaniel] Wallich, but unnamed. Comments on inconveniences of this "place of banishment", particularly there being no botanical library but his own, nor any botanical friends to consult with. Asks Smith to remember him should he receive interesting specimens; in return sending copy of his "Musci Exotici". Asks if he sent 'Lyellia crispa', and if Smith has seen 'Primula scotia', to be figured in "Flora Londinensis". Blackwood of Edinburgh keen for him to publish a periodical on exotic botany ["Exotic flora"]; requests access to [Francis] Buchanan's East India drawings.

His students have increased by 18 compared to last year, a total of 75 though only 52 were paying students. Expects [Robert] Graham [(1786-1845)] at Edinburgh to make over £1200 from his [botany] professorship, besides his practice as physician; they have formed a new garden of 14 acres, with stoves and greenhouses. Death of Dr Stuart.

Mem. sur les Crucifères; news.

Thanks for copy of Smith's "Grammar of Botany"; thinks all the "cultivators of the study of plants in this country [are] under obligations to [Smith] for treating in so clear, candid, and interesting a manner this very interesting view of the subject"; thinks Smith right in maintaining the importance Linnaean artificial system and to adhere to it until classification according to the natural orders is more matured. Also praises Smith's treatment of Linnaeus in supplement to "Encyclopedia Britannica".

Intends to visit Smith in the summer.

Thanks Lady Smith's brother for the barrel of 'Stratiotes' which are currently growing at "Naboth's vineyard". Anxious to procure 'Butomus' in the proper season. Improvements to his lower pond, has made room for aquatic and bog plants. Received another cargo of specimens from the New Holland [Australia] surveying ships, offers first choice of plants to Smith. Awaiting [Nathaniel] Wallich's promised bulbs but has received others from Trinidad and American seeds from Carr in Philadelphia. Believes he has grown three rhododendruns unknown to the traders from seeds imported by Fraser. Has shells from New Holland for Lady Smith. Hoping to acquire specimens from Madagascar via his brother-in-law, Colonel Macleod.

Addressed to her "dear cousin". She, her husband [Henry Lloyd Loring (c 1784-1822), first Archdeacon of Calcutta], and their baby are all "quite well". Received a "botanical wonder" from Nepal by [Nathaniel] Wallich, to be forwarded to Smith; transcribes extract from Wallich's letter to her husband describing specimen, 'Eriocoryna nidularis'; Wallich regrets Smith has already used name 'Eriocalia'. Sends compliments to her cousins Smiths, Westons, Martin, and Lloyd. Expects Nat [probably her brother, Nathaniel Kindersley] to arrive in Madras soon.

[This letter appears to be a later copy and is not in Smith's hand]

Thanks for mention of him and his "Grammar of Botany" in last "[Gentleman's] Magazine". Approves of the 20 copies of "A selection of the correspondence of Linnaeus" alloted to him. Requests a set of the autographs. "Poor Mr Stevenson's treasures are preparing for sale by auction".

Twenty-fourth volume of transactions of the Academia Reale delle Scienze di Torino [Royal Academy of Sciences Turin], of which he is the secretary, is to be sent to Smith. The complete collection of transactions of the Academy was dispatched to [Alexander] Macleay earlier in the year. Reminds Smith of the exchange of publications between Turin Academy and Linnean Society agreed with Professor [Franco Andrea] Bonelli [(1784-1830), Italian zoologist] when he was assisting with Linnean Society meetings in November 1819.

On verso of second folio Smith has noted: "sent to the Acad. my Compend[iu]m [florae Britannicae] ed. 3d & Linn[aeus'] Orb[is] er[uditi] Judic[ium] [and] Obs[ervationes] in Regn[um] Lap[ideum]".

Thanks for copy of Smith's "Grammar of Botany". Her sisters have been "cultivating the taste" Smith's Birmingham lectures have excited. Asks after Smith's "English flora". Comments on large rainfall in Lancashire. Hopes Smith will visit Warwickshire soon.