Thanks for parcel of herrings. [William] Roxburgh's collection of plants in London, is working on his "Flora Indica". Roxburgh informed that [Francis] Buchanan is on the way home with the Marquess [Richard Colley Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley (1760-1842) Governor-General of India, 1798-1805]. Has received specimen of 'Fabricia laevigata' in flower. Sir Jospeh Banks is recovered and in the library again. Comments on the "charming plants" in Smith's last two numbers [probably "Exotic Botany"] but informed by [Robert] Brown that there is already a a genus given to [Etienne Pierre] Ventenat in a "Flora of Benin" published in Paris so likely Ventenat has already approved of it.

Thanks for turkey. Glad to hear that [Richard Salisbury] will soon lose his title [presumably as vice-president of Linnean Society], "no one ought to mind what he says or writes more than when a puppy barks". Sending specimen of 'Fabricia', also has two new species of "'Leptasperum'?". Has basket of "Lambert nuts" for Smith, told by [James] Sowerby that he has the drawing of it, believes it a new species mentioned by [Peter Simon] Pallas in his last tour. Has a 'Eucalyptus', 'Melaleuca veridiflora', and 'Styphalia' from Amboyna, [Indonesia].

[Letter incomplete: several lines from foot of second folio cropped, presumed destroyed]

Sending specimen of 'Seseli gummiferum' for possible inclusion in "Exotic Botany", initially gathered from the Oxford Garden and identified from [Peter Simon] Pallas' herbarium held by [John Marten] Cripps [(1780-1853) traveller and antiquary] in Lewes, [Sussex], and mentioned in Pallas' "Travels in the Crimea" and a work by [Johann Gottlieb] Georgi [(1729-1802)]. [Thomas] Marsham has just visited. [Francis] Buchanan is going out [to India] with Lord Minto [Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto (1751-1814) Governor-General of India 1807-1813]. Smith to send him specimen of 'Echinophora spinosa'. Asks Smith's opinion of [Richard] Sal[isbury]'s "critique on Mr Dry[ander]". In postscript states "'Seseli gummiferum' is biennial & is perfectly hardy".

Sent [James] Sowerby seeds of 'Seseli', specimen of "'Collinsonia anisatum' ['Collinsonia anisata'] Lyon. Cat.", specimens of "'Dahlia' now 'Georgina' Wild.", and will send 'Collinsonia tuberosum' Michx. ['Collinsonia tuberosa']. Was at Bristol when the West [Indies] fleet arrived, saw onboard Lord Seaforth's [Francis Humberston Mackenzie] ship his zoological and botanical collections, the latter was gifted to him by Lord Seaforth. Received collection of 'Fucus' from [Phillipe] Durand in Montpellier, [France], and a book on them by Ducluzeau, and specimens of 'Vallisneria' and 'Aldrovanda'. Received letter from [Jacques-Julien de] Labillardière who has finished his work on New Holland [Australia] plants, Labillardière laments Smith cannot see [Joseph Pitton de] Tournefort's [(1656-1708)] herbarium for "Flora Graeca".