No summary available.

Thanks Smith for hospitality during visit to Norwich in November. Sends list of queries on genus 'Brownea', for Smith to answer and return.

No summary available.

Invites Smith to dinner on Friday 3 May.

Lists of various amounts of money, in Smith's hand.

He has temporary charge of the East India Company's botanic garden at Calcutta whilst [William] Roxburgh is at the Cape [of Good Hope] recovering his health. He has been drawing and describing his fish specimens; forwarding drawings and descriptions of 10 'Cyprini' as an example; his method for interpreting the Bengal names; has nearly 200 drawings of fish; unsure whether to publish as a separate publication or in "Linnean Transactions". Sending description and drawings of a bat for "Linnean Transactions". Received word that the Directors of the East India Company have received his Burmese plants specimens and given them to Sir Joseph Banks.

He is publishing a long paper on the "Religion of the Burmas" in "Asiatic Researches" vol 6; he has caused great offence amongst the Indian antiquaries by claiming that Buddhism is the original doctrine of Hinduism, and that the Bramins are "intruders from Egypt".

Last year he was employed in preparing a report on suitability of Chittagong and Tippera provinces for spice cultivation, which was unfavourable, but a trial is to be made at Chittagong for which he will send nutmeg and cinnamon trees. Collected a number of specimens on this trip. Intends to send Smith a parcel of seeds for distribution. Planning to an expedition through the Sunderbunds forests and considering writing an account of the natural productions of district watered by mouths of the Ganges and Burampooter rivers.

Thanks Mrs Smith for turkey. Flattered by dedication of "Flora Anglica" [Britannica]. Remarks on severity of the winter, in which his steward has reported hearing "frost crack" in trees, apparently not observed in England since the "Hard Frost" of 1739-1740. Time has been taken up with Committee of Coinage so has done very little botany. [Jonas] Dryander printing catalogue.

No summary available.

Has sent Smith the requested specimens of 'Clara' from Bolart's herbarium, which is rapidly decaying. Eager to see [William] Sole's mints ['Mentha'], at present cannot follow his descriptions and would be pleased to see some of his plants reduced "to a more subordinate rank than that of species". Discussion of 'Campanula': considers a variety of 'Campanula rotundifolia' in Oxford Botanic Garden to be 'Campanula rhomboidea' on account of leaves; asks Smith's familiarity with 'Campanula mollis', named by [John] Sibthorp 'C. rupestris'. Received roots of 'Eriocaulon' from northern England, unsure what trivial name to give the species. [James] Sowerby's 'Polygonum bistortum'. Grateful to Smith for gathering the 'Statice' of the Norfolk coast. Requests seeds of 'Melampyrum cristatum' and others, and specimens of new 'Orobanche' except 'Orobanche elatior'.

No summary available.

Thanks Smith for his attention in identifying 'Anchusa officinalis', describes its habitat and opinion on whether it is indigenous. Has left instructions with a friend to send specimens to [James] Sowerby, as requested. Lord Valentia [George Annesley] hopes to soon see Smith in London.

No summary available.

Assures Smith he shall assist [Dawson] Turner any way he can. Complains that a collection of British shells he sent to the Linnean Society in March 1797 have not been acknowledged. Proposes to compile a catalogue of Anglesea plants to present to the Society, believing that a system of botanists examining their own neighbourhoods "might be the likeliest method of perfecting a flora of the nation". However, plans have been put on hold by news of Smith's progress on "Flora Britannica", asks advice on whether to proceed. Condolences on the death of [Thomas] Pennant.