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Comments on Smith's class name 'Kuamos' ["Cyamus" transliterated from Greek alphabet, appropriated in English as "legumen"], its use by ancient botanists and how they distinguished 'Cyamus agyptius', which is '[Cyamus] nelumbo', from 'Cyamus hellenicus', which is "the common bean". Conjectures that the Ancient Greeks used it in a similar way to the English word "bean" and compares this with other languages and cultures including the Ancient Egyptians. Discusses the etymology of the Greek words and approves of the name. Botanical publication news: [Carl Peter] Thunberg's "Monographia of the Hermannia" and [Thomas] Velley and [John] Stackhouse's works on 'Fucus', critiques them for their obscure and vague physiological sections, which has inspired him to write his own memoir on the fecundation of submersed plants. At [James] Lee's with [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert experimented with success on the phenomenon of the irritable flowers of 'Verbascum', asks Smith to do the same at Norwich, gives instructions. Observed the same behaviour in Portugal with 'Verbascum thapsi', 'Verbascum sinuatum' and 'Verbascum blattaria', intends to write a paper on it for the Linnean Society. Bower is about to publish the "Digitales". [Archibald] Menzies has written to Sir Joseph [Banks] from Valparaiso, Chile, and is returning to England in a few months. Wishes to become acquainted with [Casper von] Voght after reading his "benevolent" pamphlet.

Asks for Smith's assistance in verifying the truth of a report in the "Historical Magazine" May 1792, p.167, of a 16-year-old boy in Eye, Suffolk, being cured of hydrophobia [rabies] by a blood transfusion with two lambs, administered by a Mr Russel. [Casper von] Voght and M. Schmeisser send their regards.

On the reverse of this letter Smith has noted: "no ans[we]r yet from Eye".

The proposed visit to Guernsey suspended as the War Office has ordered Colonel Cockburn's [Sir George Cockburn (1763–1847) army officer] regiment from Guernsey into camp at Netley, Hampshire. Intends to visit Smith in Norwich instead, as soon as possible. [Caspar von] Voght did not call on him.

Writes on introduction of Mr Este, following request for introductions in Europe.

[Smith has noted his reply on recto of folio]: sent letters of introduction to Professor Hoffmann, Göttingen; Professor Oriani, Milan; and Dr Dana, Turin.

Still interested in medical news even though his medical studies long disrupted by his ill-health. His friends Dr Johnstone and son of Worcester wish to send their publications on nerves and poisons to European medical professors; asks for directions to Scarpa in Pavia.

Sends collection of English 'Mentha' species in state before flowering, offers to send specimens in flower. Numbered list of specimens, "according to Mr Sole's Flora Somersetensis", with some observations, in three orders: 'Mentha spicata', 'M. verticillata', and 'M. capitata', 40 specimens in total.

Trying to identify sources for prints of horses for his "regenerated m.s. of the Introduction [to the Arctic zoology]": asks from which book the annotated print of a male onager he received from Pallas was from; two other prints taken from "Neue Nordische Beyträge" [presumably a journal], believes one of them also from Gmelin's "Voyages" in Sir Joseph Banks' library, asks for an artist to copy it. Asks if Lord Macartney brought anything relative to zoology [presumably George Macartney, Earl Macartney (1737-1806) diplomatist and colonial governor in India].

His daughter is now "as well as you can wish her" and she is impatient to see Smith. Country is in great beauty and if they can "fight off the scarcity till Harvest" they shall do well, and he will have the "pleasure of saving this country a second time from a famine". His champagne merchant lives and is offering him fine wine at 12 livres the bottle at Basle, and though he can sell it in France for 30 Louis he "wisely prefers the sterling coin".

Describes his return journey from Norwich to London, along the way saw 'Verbascum', '[Centaurea] cyanus, '[Centaurea] inlybus' and 'Echium'. Describes Thetford, Norfolk, and relates how a few days previous troops had been despatched on erroneous reports of a riot, and Epping Forest. The Guernsey expedition still in suspense. There is little news, with "no accounts being given of the Emigrants [it] looks unfavourably for them".