Missed Linnean dinner but concludes [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert, [William George] Maton, Edward Forster, [William Horton] Lloyd, [Alexander] Macleay, and [Joseph] Sabine attended. Pities [Thomas] Marsham, though he has behaved so badly that his friends "cannot palliate his behaviour", and understands that Bishop of Carlisle [Samuel Goodenough] is particulaly upset [after Marsham stole funds from the Linnean Society]. Sir Joseph Banks in good health. Attended Linnean Club meeting at British Coffee House, Maton in chair as Lambert unfit to attend, Sabine, Macleay, Forster, [Robert] Brown, [William] Pilkington [(1758-1848)], and [William] Smith attended.

Met Sir Christopher Pegge [(1765-1822)], Oxford professor of anatomy, at Hunterian Museum, he has moved to Upper Grosvenor Street. Frequently sees Dr [William] Webb, Master of Clare Hall. Has not seen Dr [John] Haviland [(1785-1851)], Sir Isaac Pennington's [(1745-1817)] successor [as Cambridge Regius professor of Physic], but thinks him influential for Smith's Cambridge prospects. Duke of Bedford's [John Russell, 6th Duke] "handsome present" to Smith [copy of "Hortus Gramineus Woburnensis"], having consulted Sir Humphry Davy's copy thinks the work "truly worthy of a Duke of Bedford".

Recently stayed with Dr Martineau. Asks if Smith has seen Revd and Mrs Ward, who sent the East India seeds sent on to Lambert for distribution. Bought fourth part of Smith's "Prodromous florae Graecae" and Arabella Rowden's [(1774-1840)] "Poetical Introduction to the Study of Botany", would like to know what is the plant 'Brusenia' she gives as an example of 'Polyandria decagynia' in the latter [Smith has annotated "'Brasenia' Schreb. Gen. p.372"]. Transcribes, in Latin, a reference found in records of the monastery at Bury St Edmunds requesting a herb called "scathery" for the monks to eat with their beans; asks if this was ever a name for parsley.

Not as ill as he was this time last year. The plant of "lady botanist" [Arabella Rowden], 'Brusenia', should have been 'Brasenia', a genus of Schreber's in "Genera Plantarum" p.372, does not know the plant himself. Cannot find anything on Cullum's herb "scathery" and frustrated by lack of index to [Henry] Lyte's [(1529-1607), botanist] "Herbal", but thinks they may find something at Sir Joseph Banks' in [Thomas] Tusser [(1524-1580)], a favourite book of Banks' ["Five hundred pointes of good Husbandrie" (1580)], and thinks it must be parsley. Holds a great regard for Sir Christopher Pegge [(1765-1822), Oxford professor of anatomy]. Dr and Mrs Ward live too far away for them to call.

Leaving for London tomorrow and will attend Horticultural Society anniversary meeting and Linnean Society monthly meeting. Satisfied with Smith's explanation that [Arabella] Rowland's 'Brusenia' should have been Schreber's 'Brasenia'. Determined that the herb "scathery" is the winter or summer savory, in English called "saverye or saveraye", and in Dutch "saturey", and said by Gerard to be good eaten with "Beanes and Peason and other windie pulses" Ger.Em.p.577; this confirms Professor [Thomas] Martyn's observation in [Philip] Miller's "[Gardener's and botanist's] Dictionary" that winter and summer savory and other pot herbs must have been cultivated a long time before spices from the East Indies were in common use.

Glad none of Smith's relations were involved in the "dreadful catastrophe" of the exploding steam engine on the boat. Sorry for his friend Mr Davies' credit that he has not done anything generous for friends or relations in his will. Looking forward to seeing Smith in London.

Brief account of his tour following his taking of the Cheltenham waters for twenty-one days: returned to Bury via Marquess of Buckingham at Stowe, Bedford, St Neots, Cambridge, and Newmarket, also called on Professor [Thomas] Martyn who appeared cheerful but weak and debilitated. Spent a fortnight in Ipswich and visited to Languard Fort but could not find the 'Santolina maritima' he had noted in his "Flora Britannica" as finding there with Smith on 16 August 1793. Colonel West, governor of the Fort, has enclosed a considerable piece of the sandy ground for a garden.

Wishes to subscribe to Mr Matchett's "topographical history of all the villages in Norfolk", to be published as a supplementary volume to Blomfield's "Norfolk". Charles Miller [(c 1739-1817)], son of Philip Miller, died in London on 6 October, he never married but left all his £35,000 to £40,000 property to his eighteen-year-old daughter, aside from legacies of £5,000. Declined to become an executor after the other two refused to put it into Chancery; he spent twenty years in Bencoolen before returning to England, laments that a man so capable of being a useful member of society passed his life almost unknown and unseen.