Received Smith's and [John] Pitchford's parcels of plants. Intends to send a paper on mosses, lichens and ferns for next "Linnean Transactions". Asks after "Flora Britannica" and [James] Sowerby's "English Fungi". Sends some grasses for Smith's judgement and requests specimens of others, Smith has marked those he sent from a longer list: 'Scirpus multicaulis', 'Poa procumbens', 'Dactylis striola', 'Festuca vivipara', 'Festuca uniglumis', 'Arundo calamagrostis', 'Triticum loliaceum', 'Juncus maritimus', 'Juncus spicatus', 'Carex loliacea', 'Carex filiformis', and 'Carex tomenstosa'. Note from Smith that he sent: 'Poa subcaerulea', 'Carex pauciflora', 'Carex chordorrhiza', 'Avena distichophylla', 'Phalaris ariculata', and 'Scirpus caespitosus'. Requests Smith to send back the drawings of fungus he sent [in 1795].

Hopes Smith is recovered from illness which left him unable to read. Appointed Dean of Rochester and comfortably lodged, however, the town itself is "naval, military, & suited to the various business of a dockyard" and does not perceive much literature in the minor canons. Fears intellectual isolation but hopes to make an aquaintance with Mr Wrighte, foreign secretary of the Antiquary Society. Informed that the country about Rochester is well situated for botany but lacks the encouragement of a companion and discouraged by the "loose fellows from the navy and dockyard with their doxies". Thinks Smith's 'Carex [divisa]' is a good figure but wishes he consulted him first as he would have informed him of the variations caused by soil types, following observations on Isle of Sheppey. Thinks [William] Hudson in his first edition ["Flora Anglica"] took Smith's 'L. chrysophthalmus' for Linnaeus' 'juniperimus'. Asks Smith's opinion of [Thomas] Marsham's book ["Entomologia Britannica"]; thinks it "gives great consequence to English entomology". Greeting for the Bishop of Norwich [Charles Manners-Sutton (1755-1828)].