Writing on gilt paper to express his joy at Davall's escape [from threatened invasion of Switzerland by French forces]. Hopes that France "will settle into that manly rational liberty at which they professed to aim", only wishing that they has "some principle of religion & less debauchery". His lectures to the Royal Family: the Queen takes his notes to copy and asks questions, followed by half hour conversation, "nothing can be more easy, polite or pleasing".

Numbered comments on plants in Davall's sent July 1791: 'Geranium sanguineum biflorum', 'Pyrola secunda'; notes that 'Pyrola uniflora', Convallaria verticillata', 'Saxifraga cernua', 'Gentiana nivalis', and 'Stellaria cerastoides' have been found in Scotland; 'Mespilus amelanchia', '[Ranunculus] thora', 'Hypochaeris helvetica', 'Potamogeton marinum' H L, 'Veronica praecox' Allioni, 'Andropogon distachyon' and 'Andropogon ischaemum' extensive comments, 'Cerastium manticum' H L, 'Globularia cordiflora' H L, 'Thesium linophyllum' H L, 'Lotus angustissimus' H L, 'Cistus fumana' H L, 'Linum angustifolium', 'Linum tenuifolium' H L, 'Juncus bulbosus', 'Tussilago paradoxa', and 'Salix [incubacea]' [note H L probably signifies Herbarium Linnaeus].

Received faint congratulations from Sir Joseph Banks on his royal lectures. Wishes that if either of them should die their letters be returned to the other. [Adam] Afzelius and François [Borone] doing well in Sierra Leone and sending plants, bulbs and roots home but no specimens.

Sending Smith a specimen of 'Cineraria alpina?' [sic]. Has papers on lichen to send for "Linnean Transactions" if the second volume has not already been set. Enquires after [William] Hudson and Mr Zier.

Arrangements for payment for numbers of "English botany".

Has finished his "supreme opus", the 14th volume of his "Outlines of the Globe", covering islands of Sumatra, the Philippines, Spice Islands, New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland, and New Holland [Australia]. Discusses [Georg Eberhard] Rumphius: unsure of the details of his death and believes his drawings were stolen by a nephew of [François] Valentijn for his own work ["Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën", a history of Dutch East India Company and countries of the Far East, the drawings were actually lost in a fire and Rumphius wrote much of the natural history of Valentijin's work]. Requests prints of plants for his manuscripts.

Received castor oil on same day as Smith's letter [of 31 October 1792]. Hopes Smith has found a way of "decently conveying" his zoology lectures to the Queen's [Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818)] and Princesses without having "shocked their delicacy". Asks whether his short paper on 'Fucus dasyphyllus' has been read at Linnean Society and whether it will be added to his other two species in "Linnean Transactions" vol 2.

[Samuel] Goodenough is ill with rheumatism or rheumatic gout, they both want to know what the 'Fucus palmotta' Smith received from Sir Thomas Frankland is; asks Smith to compare Linnaean herbarium specimens of 'Fucus foeniculaceus', 'F. abrotanifolius', and 'F. furcellatus' against Gmelin's and [William] Hudson's 'F. concatenatus', and 'F. rotundus'. Reminds Smith of his promise to look over his Scottish plants for 'Fucus inflatus' and 'F. furcellatus' for Goodenough.

Certificate signed by himself and Sir Thomas Cullum nominating [William] Mathew, of Bury, [Suffolk], who has sent rare plants to [James] Sowerby. Approves of enlargement of "English botany"; prefers 6 plates at 2s 6d to 3 at 1s, it will increase sales. Wishes he could get specimens of [James] Dickson's "curious" Scottish plants; wishes 'Linnaea borealis' could be found, as although it grows in "curious gardens" the name is a "most desirable addition to the British flora".

Asks Smith to obtain list of foreign botanical books Haslock currently has in hand, as he wishes to obtain several titles of repute, including Schmidel's continuation of Gesner ["Historiae plantarum fasciculus" (1759)], and Hedwig's work ["Descriptio et adumbratio microscopico-analytica muscorum" (1787-1797)].

Responds to Woodward's queries in previous letter [of 18 November 1792] concerning 'Fucus' specimens. Woodward's paper on 'Fucus dasyphyllus' was read at Linnean Society and will probably be added to "Linnean Transactions" vol 2. 'Fucus furcellatus' Linnaean herbarium different from all the other 'Fucus' he has seen.

Intends to rename 'Blechnum radicans', 'B. virginicum', 'B. japonicum', and a new one, as 'Woodwardia', as the first two grow in British gardens, and this will group it with 'Davallia' and 'Dickonsia'; [Jonas] Dryander approves. Dr [Erasmus] Darwin and Sir Brooke Boothby [7th baronet, (1744-1824), poet and writer] are elected FLS.