Thanks for Smith's "great curiousity", the primrose carnation. Finds it odd that is has no smell, Mrs Goodenough recalls seeing one at Windsor which was also scentless. Received a specimen of the plant Smith wrote to Mr Weatherhead about but can not recollect what it is called, it was possibly 'Stachys' but can find nothing in Gmelin's "Systema Naturae". [Hugh] Davies and [Edward] Donovan [(1768-1837), zoologist] are still in dispute over fish: Davies' letter appeared in the "Gentleman's Magazine" two months before Donovan's response, the former writes like a Welshman and the latter an artist "who thinks all the world must be as eager as himself to cull some lucky snap which has escaped the eyes of others", discusses the grievances and fears being dragged in on account of his paper on the Porbeagle shark in "Linnean Transactions" which used a drawing of Davies' [see RelatedMaterial]. Asks Smith to look for 'Confervae' in Lowestoft. Political horizon "clouding".

Smith need not fear burdening Goodenough with his post. Sorry to see that the impudence of the Carlisle choristers has "blazened forth in the public papers" [the choristers refused to sing at services until their salaries were raised]. Asks Smith to bring native specimens of 'Ophrys corallorhiza' when he comes to London, previously received a foreign specimen of it but it is now found near to Edinburgh. Asks if Smith has figured 'Serapias latifolia', a bed of is growing wild near Rose Castle. Presumes [Hugh] Davies will rise to [Edward] Donovan's [(1768-1837), zoologist] letter in the "Gentleman's Magazine" on their dispute over fish [see RelatedMaterial]. Expecting a "fiery session" in the House of Lords this season on account of the British troops in Spain and Walcharen and Catholic Emancipation and equates the political situation to that directly before the fall of Carthage and the French Revolution.

About to leave for London. Saddened by the death of his "most steady friend & counsellor & patron", the Duke of Portland [William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1738-1809)].

Thanks for second volume "Florae Graecae Prodromus"; discusses etymology of Delphi therein. Sir Joseph Bank's gout and [Thomas] Marsham's absence in Warwickshire viewing an estate allowed him to sit in the chair at the Council and at the Royal Society meeting where a paper on hydrogen and oxygen by [Humphry] Davy was read. There are reports that Lord Wellesley is to join the Ministry [Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852)] and people seem confident a great naval victory has been achieved.

Discussion of Catholic Emancipation: Smith has great "liberality" on the subject but believes he is not fully informed and that the Dissenters are "very much deceived" if they think the Catholics will allow them to participate with them in power. Goodenough believes Catholics cannot act for themselves in anything concering religion, which is what would make them dangerous if they had power. Regrets that Oxford University have begun meddling in politics by proposing Lord Grenville [William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville (1759-1834), prime minister, 1806-1807] for Chancellor after he had avowed himself "the Champion of Catholic Emancipation". Goodenough hates the subject, particularly as his two sons in Christ Church have "most wantonly & contemptuously" opposed him.

Convinced 'Fucus discors' and 'Fucus abrotanifolius' are the same plant and advises Smith to consult [Elizabeth] Hill [(c 1760-1850), algologist] and [Amelia Warren] Griffiths [(1768-1858), algologist] for further details; the difference is only in the breadth of lower leaves, caused by the season of the year and depth of water. Returns Smith's drawings [of the two 'Fucus'] and thinks they are "expressive enough", showed them to Dr [George] Williams in Oxford but he is not a marine botanist. "Blepharanthis" has his full approbation.

In postscript reports on results of election for Oxford Chancellorship - Lord Grenville won by thirteen votes. Repeats that Smith's 'Fucus discors' is the 'discors' of [John] Stackhouse, Hill, Griffiths, and himself.

Discussion of Catholic Emancipation: Smith calls himself a "heretic" but Goodenough shall not apply the term, believes "moderate men of all persuasions think pretty nearly alike". Believes Roman Catholics cannot yet be trusted with power, citing the example of their College of Maynooth, [The Royal College of St Patrick, established 1795, near Dublin, Ireland]. Thinks the Irish will join Napoleon until they gain not the level but the upper hand. Forwarded Smith's letter to [Amelia Warren] Griffiths [(1768-1858), algologist]. Shocked to see [Richard] Salisbury's "surreptitious anticipation" of [Robert] Brown's paper on the New Holland plants ['Proteaceae'] under the name of [George] Hibbert's [(1757-1837), merchant] gardener, [Joseph] Knight [(c 1777-1855)]. Refused to talk to Salisbury at the Royal Society meeting. Mrs Goodenough "nearly killed" falling down the stairs.