Since his arrival in Liverpool, Lancashire, has been eager to see Smith and hopes to visit him in Norwich, Norfolk, soon.

Received Smith's letter of 29 December. Unable to give a clear answer to Smith's secret request, seemingly to acquire a position in the United States for Smith's nephew, as the King of Portugal [João VI (1767-1826)] has appointed him to lead a royal establishment of the sciences and arts in Brazil, sailing by the February packet.

Sorry to hear Smith disappointed of the oysters he sent, and does not recall the Charles Smyth who remembers him from Oxford. Has attended only one Linnean dinner on account of his gout, they are very well attended and of a high quality. Sir Humphry Davy acquits himself well in Royal Society chair. Not anticipating Parliament having to decide what to do with the Queen [Caroline (1768-1821), wife of George IV], hopes she will not be permitted to "vent her spleen" further. Thanks for turkey.

Compliments.

Unable to come to Norwich, Norfolk, as planned as he has been ordered to Paris, France. Reassures him that he shall think on a situation for Smith's nephew.

Praises Lady Smith for developing new method for copying paper portraits, discusses further. Remembers Corrêa [de Serra] well and often listened to him at Sir Joseph Banks'. A York bookseller will get him Smith's "Grammar of Botany" and ["A selection of the correspondence of Linnaeus..."] when published.

Mild winter: does not remember a milder one, thermometer has not been lower than 31°F and fears vegetation will "suffer from being too far forward"; peach buds are swelling and cucumbers are in rough leaf. Snow at Gordon Castle in last few days, received two plants of 'Menziesia caerulea' procured from Inverness, one placed in bog earth with 'Rhodendra' and other potted and both look well so far. Duke of Gordon also sent quill feathers of the supposed female woodcock, enclosed [not extant]; has written to Ireland for further opinion.

Had rent day yesterday and remitted 10 per cent on land, "such are the bad times for farmers that I rather think I did too little, however they were well pleased". Requests recommendation for more recent "Genera plantarum" than Linnaei 1767. Encloses his pamphlet [extant] titled "On the Winchester Bushel", which "has nearly given the finishing stroke to our Country bushel".

Thanks for turkey. Pleased Smith's health improved but recommends continuing daily dose of laundanum for a year. Surprised by failure of plan for monument to Sir Joseph [Banks]; he "certainly judged ill in not leaving a legacy to the Royal Society". Naming of Scottish judges.

Compliments Smith's "Grammar of Botany"; believes Smith, Corrêa, and [Robert] Brown only botanists skilled enough to tackle the subject and and Smith the only one to successfully tackle it. [Francisco Antonio] Zea and General Cortes attended the most recent Linnean dinner, "both rather mean looking men". Attended Sir Humphry Davy's conversazione, Captain [William] Parry [(1790-1855), Arctic explorer] also attended, he is writing his book in the country ["Journal of a Voyage to Discover the Northwest Passage" (1821)]. Attended Royal Society dinner and beginning of Antiquarian Society meeting; there was "a ponderous dull paper upon weights and measures" by Captain Kater. Davy a clearer orator than the Antiquarians' president, Lord Aberdeen [George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen (1784-1860)], whose election Goodenough thinks was an error of judgement.

Thanks for book ["A grammar of botany" (1821)]; likes it the more because of its dedication to her mother [Susan Corrie]. Account of flowers showing in their garden: snow drops, Christmas roses, Dutch tulips, Scotch crocus, and double crimson hepaticas. Believes her tiger moth chrysalis is dead. Sends drawings of moths [extant].

Four drawings of moths and an insect, pencil on card: '[Phalaena] batis', '[Phalaena] dives', '[Phalaena] lichenaria', 'Tenthredo lutea' [dated 22 February].

Greatly pleased to meet Corrêa today at [Robert] Brown's but unsure whether he intends to visit Smith at Norwich even though Corrêa is to stay much longer than he expected. Had a "stout tug" with Brown on 'Scitamineae', particularly 'Thalia', but could not decide whether [Edward] Rudge's plants should be united with 'Maranta', 'Thalia', or form a new genus; discusses the new genus, 'Calathea', formed from 'Maranta casupo' Jacquin "Fragmenta [botanica]" in [Georg Friedrich Wilhelm] Meyer's new "[Primitiae] florae Essequeboensis".

Informed by Fanny Blackwell that her mother, Mrs Blackwell, is kept alive only by use of blisters; doubts her recovery. Lady [Anne Margaret] Anson's [(1779-1843)] daughter, Georgiana, has very ill but past the worst. Thanks the Smiths for their hospitality at Norwich.

[Thomas] Hare wishes to dedicate a medical work to Smith. Recently hosted a party attended by Gray, Bennett, Edward Hartford, William Smith, Taylor, and Gibson. Believes the 'Silene' he found at Binfield, [Berkshire], is not 'S. lusitanica'; observations, including small ink sketch of petals; requests specimens to compare it against. [William Jackson] Hooker's "Flora Scotia" to be published soon.

[Note attached to verso of second folio] Title of Hare's book is "Considerations on the Structure, Functions, and Disorders of the Stomach and Alimentary Organs of the Human Body..." [(1821)].

Recovering from a severe bout of typhus. Has heard Smith is working on fourth volume of "Flora Britannica", gives habitat for a rare 'Clavaria ardenia' of [James] Sowerby.

Received Smith's letter of 17 February and is surprised by his impatience. Reiterates circumstances in attempts to find a position for Smith's nephew, Smith wishes for him a "more suitable career than trade", and whilst he would have been happy to take him to the United States it would only be out of friendship to Smith, and circumstances are now changed by his going to Brazil. Offers instead to have him received in the most credible mercantile houses in Brazil and in addition if he chooses to settle in Brazil to obtain a grant of land for him.

Lists autographs already sent by Smith [for "A selection of the correspondence of Linnaeus" (1821)]; sets out costs of either engraving or lithograping the autographs; changes made to ordering.

List [in Smith's hand] of 15 "original autographs" sent to Nichols, dated 26 February 1821.

[Note in Nichols' hand] on proofs and copies.

Received Smith's letter of 25 February. Advises Smith to set his nephew up in a London or Liverpool mercantile house that follows the Brazil trade so as to obtain a paid voyage to Brazil, where Corrêa would then be able to fulfill the promises he made to Smith in placing him in a Brazilian mercantile house.

Thanks for copy of Smith's "Grammar of Botany", hopes it will show the Horticultural Society "the usefulness of scientific botany". Hopes it is true that the Linnean Society are to take rooms in Soho Square [home of late Sir Joseph Banks]. Expects to see "Councillor Gage" at their assizes next week, he is an entertaining man but doubts he will succeed as a public speaker at the bar. Will feel the loss of Banks when he is next in London. The waters at Bath did not relieve his son's wife twelve-month long "rheumatic and gouty complaint".

Distress at lack of communications from England.

Will endeavour to profit by Smith's "Grammar of Botany" and though glad he has explained [Antoine Laurent de] Jussieu's system will not bother to learn it as he does not find it "more natural" and there are irreconcilables in it. Praises the book's dedication.

Has written on identification of sex of woodcocks and commissioned a nephew in Dublin for opinion of Irish sportsmen; does not recall his authority for male's exterior quill feather to be barred the whole length, but the Irish think the male is larger, has most white at the edge, yellow legs, and a much darker head and neck, and the female dark slate coloured legs. Duke of Gordon's confirmation by examining supposed male "saw the testicles most distinctly".

He has two peach trees "just now showing their habitual excitability" which had just been transplanted out from glass to the open and protected them with oiled paper frames. His son's address whilst attending Parliament.

His weekly fish from Hartlepool, [Yorkshire], just come in, including more than 2lb 1/2 of whitings but often have them as large, and has lately had smelts more than 10 inches long.

Encloses latest list of subscribers [extant] to his "History of Birds". Examined [Coenraad Jacob] Temminck's [(1778-1858), zoologist] "Manuel [d'ornithologie]" for the work, notes on new genera added to Linnaeus'. Printing expected to commence imminently. Unable to determine whether there will be any ornithology in next "Linnean Transactions", in spite of seeing a list of New Holland parrots when last in London. Asks if Smith knows whether Dr Horrfield will be publishing any of the specimens he brought from Java and Ceylon. Still awaiting news of European subscribers.

Written on printed prospectus and list of subscribers for "Latham's History of Birds".

Thanks for copy of Smith's "Grammar [of botany]", which "speaks the hand of a Master, concise yet full". Amused when he sees the "miserable incorrect compilations & imitations" of Smith's former work, and when Smith's "[English] Flora" is published, "the British botanist will find everything he wants in these three works of yours". If he was younger he would pursue study of the Natural Orders, and is sometimes vexed when people say the Natural System will supersede the Artificial.

He no longer has communication with Cambridge [Botanic Garden]; pleased to hear the Liverpool garden flourishes; uncertain of state of Oxford's. Pleased to see "such vast improvements" in botany and horticulture over the last 20 years, even though it renders his own work of no value. His health.