His health is poor and after an emetic and other evacuations now feeling benefit of a course of 'Cinchona officinalis', though if it were not for botany, his wife, and Smith, he would be happy to die. Reminds Smith of his intention to visit in summer of 1793; he has no companion for his walks and is in "a kind of exile". His wife has given birth to a strong and healthy boy, if he lives he must be a botanist.

His library: obtained good Dillenius ["Historia muscorum" (1741)] from Paris for £11 and now has some of his chief desiderata of rare books including [Johannes] Loesel's [(1607-1655)] "Flora Prussica", [Fabio] Columna's "Phytobasanos", and [Nicolaas Laurens] Burman's [(1734-1793)] "de Geraniis", and [Paolo] Boccone's [(1633-1704)] "[Icones & descriptiones rariorum plantarum] Sic[iliae]" but not Boccone's "Museo di Piante rare". Sends money draft settling accounts with [James] Sowerby and [James] Dickson. Requests copy of Sowerby's "Flora luxurians" for his wife, though she prefers 'Geranium striatum' to the brilliant luxuriant flowers. Encloses paper from his Lausanne bookseller Mr Pott to be forwarded to Elmsley.

Smith should keep [Horace Bénédict] de Saussure's [(1740-1799)] lichens, expects to receive more. Has been unable to search for 'Anthericum serotinum' promised to [Richard] Salisbury as the only habitat he knows is 150 miles from Orbe; had hoped to receive Salisbury's coloured work ["Icones stirpium rariorum" (1791)]. Apologises for not sending seeds for Smith and [William] Aiton: 'Crataegus chamaemespilus', 'Veronica praecox' Allioni, 'Crepis leontodontoides' Allioni, 'Turritis alpina', Linnaeus, 'Avena strigosa' Schreber, will wait to collect fresh ones.

First postscript, on left-hand margin of verso of first folio: thanks Lady Rockingham for present of "Icones pictae" and hopes to obtain seed of 'Celsia linearis' Jacq. Second postscript, on left-hand margin of recto of first folio: asks after Mr Este.