Describes his return journey from Norwich to London, along the way saw 'Verbascum', '[Centaurea] cyanus, '[Centaurea] inlybus' and 'Echium'. Describes Thetford, Norfolk, and relates how a few days previous troops had been despatched on erroneous reports of a riot, and Epping Forest. The Guernsey expedition still in suspense. There is little news, with "no accounts being given of the Emigrants [it] looks unfavourably for them".

Thanks for Smith's letter; pleased to hear he is to visit and gives directions for the most convenient route from Hereford. Coach details and places of interest on the route, including: Lord Maldon's house, Hampton Court, on way to Leominster, built in Henry IV's reign and with a "curious old picture of that king and a fine portrait of Lord Abergaveney"; his mother's house, Croft Castle, five miles on other side of Leominster, which has beautiful woods; Thebden Court, home of Lord Bateman, where there are some good pictures and a "fine statue of Mercury"; and Alderman Hadley has built a new house, Burrington, but he himself is not an admirer of Mr Holland's architecture. Ludlow one of prettiest towns he knows and recommends Smith take a day to see [Richard Payne] Knight's [(1750-1824), classicist] Downton Castle; Oakley Park is also pretty and near Ludlow, and there are magnificent view from the Bishop's Moat.

Sends leaves for identification from each of the plants he managed to grow from 5 of the 6 Sierra Leone seeds Smith sent last spring, and leaf of 'Stelitzia', the most thriving plant in his stove with habit quite different from Lady Rockingham's. new 'Ulva' found at Weymouth; elected FLS.

[Spec 23 written in pencil at head of verso of folio]

Describes his journey from Norwich to Wales, via Worcester, Ludlow, where he saw 'Inula helenium', Bishop's Castle, New Town, and Aberystwyth. Praises setting and interior of Johnes' house. Johnes' daughter, [Mariamne Johnes], "though not above 10 years of age has taken a wonderful turn for botany & entomology"; her skills. Disappointed by botany in Wales, observing only common plants of hilly, not alpine countries, and mosses and lichens chiefly of the tree kind: 'Lichen laetevirens', 'L. glomuliferus', 'L. scrobienlatus', 'L. sylvaticus', 'L. resupinatus', 'L. plumbens' all common, found one 'L. perlatus' in fructification, 'Hypericum dubium' lately observed near Worcester is one of the common things here, thinks it overlooked for 'H. perforatum'.

The Johnes' family are the "guardian angels of the country", and consequently not liked by the neighbouring gentry, "who want to keep up all the old tyrannic notions, & never think of other people's starving"; [Thomas] Johnes lately imported a ship-load of wheat from Bristol to sell at a loss. Harvest here and all over the country is "fine"; hop-grounds of Shropshire "are beautiful". Sends 'Hypericum dubium' and 'Gnaphalium' which he took to be the true 'H. sylvaticum' but must be 'H. rectum' of "English botany".

Following his stay at Hafod intends to visit Dr Parr at Llandilo and then his aunt and her grandchildren at Bath. Lack of limestone, chalk, or gravel here leaves the flora poor, with 'Solidago virgaurea', 'Serratula tinctoria', and 'Hypericum dubium' growing prodigiously. [Andrew] Caldwell disappointed of his Guernsey expedition. Johnes' expensive taste in literature.

His son a victim of the Revolution; his work in Nat. Hist.; acquisition of books.

Thanks for Smith's "Tour". Sends a silver medallion for his paper on 'Sprengelia'.

Large parcel for Smith, including: West Indies plants, mostly those mentioned in his "Prodromus"; six parts of the "Acta Holm" of the [Swedish] Academy [of Sciences], the first part includes Smith's paper on 'Sprengelia', plus a silver jetton, and the new lichens described in the transactions; and 'Lichen deustus' and 'Lichen polyrrhizos' for Smith's opinion. Believes they should only search for the lichens of Dillenius, even Linnaeus considered lichens to be the "crux botanicorum". Has heard that the New Holland [Australia] colony is progressing well, asks if Smith has received the lichens, ferns, mosses and algae he sent from there.

Thanks for Smith's letter. Laments death of [James] Lee [(1715-1795), gardener] and loss of his friendly communications. Pleased that Smith's trip to Wales was a success, believes it will be "for the general benefit of science" for Smith to have similar opportunities. The negligence of his gardener has forced him to give up cultivating stove plants and convert his stove into a forcing house for grapes and peaches. The stove plants have been sent to a cousin in Yorkshire but has reserved for himself 'Strelitzia', 'Pulmeria rubra', 'Xylophila latifolia', and 'Portlandia', offers to send any to friends of Smith; half of the 'Strelitzia' is already in Lady de Clifford's stove [Sophia Southwell]. Lady Rockingham [Mary Watson-Wentworth] recovering only very slowly from her illness, believes it originated from repeated "injudicious" bleedings several months ago.

Regret at Smith's departure. Found a butterfly she thinks the "great tortoiseshell butterfly", will try to send a specimen. Found a curious bright yellow fungus in the stove house, will send specimen with letter.

Informed by [Thomas] Woodward that Smith approves of his work ["Nereis Britannica"]. Inspired by his disupte with [Thomas] Velley [over floresence of plants and seaweed] to investigate seaweed fructification with a microscope, details some of his observations, particularly the production of seeds and air bladders, from examination of: '[Fucus] vesiculosus', 'F. spiralis', 'F.nodosus', 'F. carnaliculatus', 'F. siliquosus', 'F. digitatus, 'F. polyschides', 'F. palmatus', and 'Ulva umbilicalis'. Shall send samples of two or three sea plants. Sending his paper on 'Herniaria glabra' which rectifies other authors' previous errors, including sketch and specimen [see RelatedMaterial below]. Believes the lack of reviews for his book is due to his not having advertised it very widely.

Notes and observations on the 'Hypericum' Smith sent from Wales, which nearly approaches 'H. perforatum' but seems clearly distinct; the 'Gnaphalium' is undoubtedly 'G. rectum'. Comparison of prices for books owned by [Thomas] Johnes' and [Andrew] Fountaine. Finest harvest almost ever remembered, with great bulk of barley, oats, peas, and beans; wheat not quite as good. Death of Lee a "great loss" to Smith. [Andrew] Caldwell's disappointment at frustrated Guernsey trip; suggests he supplies 'Fucus' from Irish coast; Caldwell's promise of supplying Irish halfpence, lists the varieties.

Sends plants. Has news of his relations. News of others.

Happy that Smith has accepted his 'Strelitzia'. Reassures Smith he has not lost his partiality for plants in disposing of his stove but has only tired of being disappointed by "ungrateful and worthless" gardeners. Thinks his new gardener will be better. Hopes that Smith's move to Hammersmith will not deprive him of his company.

Thanks for Smith's letter and plant. She has been ill with the mumps. Pleased Smith thought the beetle she found in her father's room and sent curious, she does not want it returned and not disappointed it proved common. Sends coloured drawing of a lichen [extant] by Mr Trossavelli after failing to remove it from the stone. Encloses dried specimen of a fern she has found [extant]. Demands that Mr Edwards write and inform them whether he intends to visit.

Specimen of fern, wrapper annotated by Smith "'[Polypodium] cristatum'", and by Johnes, detailing the location it was found.

Note by Thomas Johnes [on separate folio] that he read the letter before it was sent.

Drawing of lichen [Smith has annotated on reverse: "'L. geographicus'"]

No summary available.

Received packet of Smith's publications and collection of New Holland [Australian] plants, particularly pleased with "Icones pictae plantarum" and "Tour on the Continent", would like to translate latter into German. Pleased with [John Blachford] who is staying with him after Smith's introducing him, teaching him botany whilst [Johann Friedrich] Blumenbach teaches him "chineralogy", hopes he will become "a Lightfoot for Ireland". Has heard from Dr Harrison that Smith is engaged in a new "Systema Vegetibilum". Shall send Smith his "Plant. Veg. Subterran." as soon as it appears. Thanks for election as FMLS.

No summary available.

Returned to Oxford "with some affection of the lungs", bathed in tepid bath at Brighton and now nursing himself with asses' milk and gentle horseback exercise, considering a trip to Bristol. Details of journey from Greece: travelled from Zante, leaving [John] Hawkins there, to Otranto with excursion to Nicopolis, from Acona through the Tyrol. Visited [Johann Christian Daniel von] Schreber [(1739-1810)] in Erlang, Germany, who has monograph on 'Carex' ready, will adopt [Samuel] Goodenough's names if he receives a list, also ready with fasiculus of 'Gramina', intends to send Schreber 'Carex strigosa' and 'Carex indica' if Smith has duplicate of latter. Visited [Georg Franz] Hoffmann in Göttingen who has greatly improved the garden and is compiling a pocketbook synopsis on German Cryptogamia.

Told by [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert of "great treasures brought by [Francis] Masson [(1741-1805), Kew plant collector], [John] White and [Archibald] Menzies". Would like Smith to send "Icones picta" of Jacquin. Grief at death of François Borone, does not believe any of the other servants took any of his belongings. Last heard that Hawkins had gone to visit Ali Pashaw [Ali Pasha of Tepelena (1740-1822) Ottoman Albanian ruler of western part of Rumelia, Ottoman Empire's European territory] in Thessaly, Greece, in good health but "under alarm from robbers".

Received letter from [Johann Christian Daniel von] Schreber [(1739-1810), physician and botanist] informing him of progress for his diploma for doctor in medicine and surgery. Transcribes section relating to Smith, in Latin: thanks Latham and his colleagues for offer to be admitted to the Royal Society; asks to subscribe to "Linnean Transactions".

Received Smith's letter of 13 [October]; congratulates him on his approaching marriage. His opinion on his own marriage and the instituiton in general. Dr [James] Anderson staying. Weather "boisterous & rainy" but the cataracts and cascades have been in "high beauty" and never saw Devil's Bridge in "greater glory" than a few days ago, when he was visited by an old school friend.

Coming to London this month but longs for the time, as Falstaff [Shakespeare character] says, when "I can live cleanly & like a gentleman".