Up to four hundred visitors from England and the continent a day visiting Fonthill Abbey, Wiltshire, [home of William Beckford (1760-1844)]. When he visited Fonthill with Sir Richard Hoare and [Daniel] Lysons [(1762-1834)] there were four hundred carriages and horses. Duke of Wellington [Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852)], Sir Abraham Hume and Mr Cust have also visited Fonthill. Received plants from [William] Jack [(1795-1822)] described in his "Malay[an] Miscellanies" including three new species of 'Nepenthes'. Received Brazilian plants Dr [John] Sims [(1749-1831)]. Received a 'Arbutus laurifolia' from Mexico. Purchased [Franz Wilhelm] Sieber's [(1789-1844)] Cretan, Egyptian, and Holy Land plants, requests Smith to send specimen of each species of "'Arb.'" for comparison. Also asks Smith to send [Franciscus] Cupani's [(1657-1710) Italian botanist] works.

Since the death his daughter, Mrs Charlotte Lynn, Mr Lynn has not tried for pupils nor attempted to find a matron to superintend the management and education of his children. Praises character of the King [George IV (1762-1830)], who "has only to shew himself & everyone must admire him", and blames his previous foolish practices on his tutors the Bishop of Worcester and Dr Arnold. Dislikes the "idle rumours" about the attempt or design to assassinate the Duke of Wellington [Arthur Wellesley (1769-1852), soldier and statesman]. Wonders the true reason for [Thomas William] Coke giving up his agicultural meetings; [John Christian] Curwen [(1756-1828)], a great agiculturist in Cumberland, has given up his political agricultural meetings after being elected for the county, his chief aim.

Goodenough's observations on insects and birds: there have been no wasps this year compared to the multitudes last year which ate all their fruit; the last swifts left at the beginning of August, and last week during violent storms no swallows or martins were seen but with calmer skies they have returned, in fewer numbers, having already arrived late and less numerous than usual.