Has been ill since 13 November. Unsurprised by manoeuvres of [William] Cobbett's [(1763-1835), political writer and farmer] inflaming "the passions of the ignorant" at a meeting held in York, believes the argument about the composition of the consitution too finely drawn for the "lower orders". Glad that Smith has ordered the 'Umbellatae', a class he has previously been confused by. Has not seen anything of Professor [Christian Friedrich] Schwaegrichen [(1775-1853)] after refusing [Archibald] Menzies request to support him for a Foreign Member of the Linnean Society.

Reply to Smith's of 27 February delayed by ill health and domestic troubles, including: his confinement for the last four months by the "very awkward weather"; death of his grandchild, the eldest daughter of Mrs Charlotte Lynn who died last summer, from a cold upon her chest and illness of three other of the children; Mr Lynn's threatening to leave Keswick; and the ailing of Mrs Goodenough of Lincolnshire's two remaining children out of ten, now being treated by Sir Henry Halford [(1766-1844), physician].

Attended a rare daytime Linnean Society council meeting at which an "absurd" hoax paper about robins read at the previous meeting; Joseph Sabine proposed publicly acknowledging it at the next meeting but Goodenough persuaded them to let the matter drop, grateful the reader is not stipendiary otherwise public notice might have been made. The Society unable to commit to publishing all eleven of [Francis Hamilton's] remarks on the "Hortus Malabaricus" and should never have printed the first part; this, alongside the cock robin paper, has determined [Alexander] Macleay to resign his post.

Received Smith's letter of 30 April. Thinks Smith wise to stay in Clapton rather than London, where he would eat and drink more than he is used to. No longer has time to go over papers and only spoke of Latin errors in David Don's [(1799-1841), botanist] 'Saxifrafa' paper from first sight. Although [Richard] Taylor [(1781-1858), publisher] has exculpated himself to Smith over his reading of the hoax paper on robins Goodenough knows he had time to see it and seek advice whether to read it or not. Agrees with most of the Royal Society's statute revisions but uncertain about doubling the admission fee, supposes it may keep applications down and deter "society hunters".

Sent a barrel of oysters for Smith. [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert in high spirits but Mrs [Catherine] Lambert worse than ever and never sees anyone. Smith's distinction between 'Geum' and 'Dryas' "very satisfactory" and Goodenough had not observed it before; singular generic character of 'Icosandria' so striking it makes one examine the plants carelessly.

They had a wintry summer and kept fires in all rooms as in the depth of winter, and garden produce was badly damaged: no apples, unripe pears, flavourless strawberries and raspberries, and corn very late and still green in fields on 3 November, but they produced mulberries only the third time and enjoyed a good peach harvest at the end of October. Less radicalism in his area of Cumberland. Comments on the difficulty of filling the positions of Attorney and Solicitor Generals due to the "great dearth of profound lawyers", similar to the lack of profound scholars in several of the learned professions.