Grief at death of Lady Rockingham [Mary Watson-Wentworth]. Mrs [Pleasance] Smith regrets that she never knew her personally. They saw the death notice in the Norwich paper the evening after sending box of apples and biscuits. Preparing a general account of Lady Rockingham for the "Monthly Magazine" and asks her age, presumes she will be buried in York Minster.

Sending a parcel to Roscoe containing "Exotic Botany"; thanks for his flattering letter. Defends his response to Mr Caley in the "Monthly Magazine" [who had criticised Smith's "Flora Britannica" and Linnaeus' use of language]; he seldom quarrels, but when he does "it is best to do it decidedly, & have done with it", and is happy that he has had so few literary quarrels, aside from with Lamarck and [William] Curtis.

Reply to Banks letter of 22 February 1805. Agrees with Banks suggestions concerning the introduction to "Flora Graeca", [John] Sibthorp's work will be fully acknowledged with modest reference to Smith and others. In general approves of title but still needs further consideration to convey true nature of the work and its composition. Is now at work on the Prodrumus "Flora Graeca".

Sends parcel of poplar and alder specimens to sketch, including polar flowers; Sowerby may find the birch near London, and should draw 'Betula nana' from a garden; will send poplar leaves in June from the same trees. Pleased the 'Cyamus' seed was in such good order, what he found agrees with Gaertner's figure. Returns Mr Lewis' letter and scheme of classes, his ideas "sensible but not new". Intends to buy [George] Don's "fasiculi" ["Herb. Britannicum" (1804-1812) ?] through Sowerby, though "out of regard to him only" as there is nothing he wants.

Approves of Sowerby's patterns for "Flora Graeca", though a correction is needed with colouring of 'Bromus'. Sowerby should use one or two of [Archibald] Menzies' species of 'Boronia', if they have retained their colour, for "Exotic botany", the rest to be engraved for Linnean Society. Does not think the patters for "Exotic botany" well coloured, except 'Diuris maculata'. Returns Sowerby's mineralogy manuscript. Sowerby's sketches from Don's specimens "excellent". [James] Crowe approves figure of 'Salix acuminata' in last "English botany"; he paid 6 guineas for Sowerby's microscope.

During his journey to London a horse fell under the carriage and they were forced to walk to Newmarket, [Cambridgeshire], rest of journey uneventful but became unwell on reaching London. Called on Sir Thomas Frankland, Mrs [Amelia] Opie [(1769-1853), author], and Sir Joseph Banks', where he saw [Richard] Salisbury, Mr Westall, [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert, the Pattersons, and [Sir Abraham and Amelia] Hume. Cold weather more suited to him in London than warm. Account of visit to Somerset House [home of the Royal Society], with Prince of Wales [George IV (1762-1830)] in attendance.

[Letter incomplete: part of first folio cropped, and fragment of second folio appended to recto of first]

He has consulted Dr Pictairn about his condition, who says they are the usual consequence of erysipelas. His meetings and entertainments in London: he, William, and the Kindersleys [Smith's cousins] dined at Mrs Munro's, wife of his old Edinburgh friend, at Blackheath, [Kent]; time in Greenwich; went to Lee's; a concert at William Smith's; chatted with Lord [Charles] Stanhope [3rd Earl Stanhope (1753-1816) about politics; William Smith took him to meet [Charles James] Fox [(1749-1806), politician], now has an open invitation to St Anne's Hill, [Surrey, Fox's home]. Has made "bold push" for £100 for his Royal Institution lectures next year. Rudeness of Mrs Marsham. Sixty diners at Linnean Society anniversary meeting.

Sends Roscoe a budget about the "plantae scitamineae" and Lord Valentia's [George Annesley] "Indexes to Willdenow" as completed. Describes his his return journey from Liverpool to Norwich via Huntingdon, Cambridge, including the botanic garden, and Ely, including the cathedral.

Transcribes an attack made by [Richard] Salisbury on himself in fifth number of his "Paradisus Londinensis"; defends himself and transcribes the passage from "Exotic botany" which apparently provoked Salisbury, and details involvement of [Edward] Rudge and [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert. Salisbury also "sneered" at [Étienne Pierre] Ventenat's "Jardin de la Malmaison", confirming his suspicions of Salisbury's deceit, though if nothing else occurs still intends to reappoint him vice-president of the Linnean Society next year as he has "always been attentive & useful".

Sends Roscoe his paper on Norwich botanists, and two pods of vanilla from his journey to Italy. Convinced Raphael's picture of the Holy Family at Okeover [Hall, Staffordshire] is an original; description. "Exotic botany" reviewed much more favourably than Roscoe's "Leo" in Baldwin's "Literary Journal". Colonel [Thomas] Hardwicke to visit. The "Monthly Review" speaks "very differently" of his biographical paper, from Salisbury's account in "Annals [of Botany]". Reminds Roscoe of his "purposed assistance" with "Exotic Botany".

Sending Roscoe full copies of letters between [Richard] Salisbury and himself, via his sister [Fanny] Martin. Asks whether [Robert] Brown and [Ferdinand] Bauer's [(1760-1826), botanical artist] thought his "Exotic botany" was "hostile, or unfair to them"; states that he bought all the New Holland specimens, and [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert the drawings, twelve years before the expedition was proposed, but is keen to avoid a quarrel and will avoid publishing the same plants. Brown likely to be made resident librarian of Linnean Society with salary, which now has new premises in Gerard Street.

Sends copy of his paper from seventh volume of "Linnean Transactions", which "Squire Alias" criticised so much. Has a carbuncle [on the eye] but recovering well.