Presents Smith with two "curious" plants. The first 'Oenothera biennis' discovered by John Sheppard [(c 1764-1836) first curator Liverpool Botanic Garden], a garden plant not acknowledged as a native, description and location of wild habitat growing alongside 'Cynoglossum officinale', 'Salix repens' and 'Carexes'. The second 'Saponaria anglica concava' first discovered in Northamptonshire by [John] Gerard [(d 1611) herbalist] but not found since that time, description of its habitat. Offers to send specimens to Smith for verification.

Thanks for specimens of native camphor; at present the nature of the substance is incomprehensible. Would like to become FLS; states his involvement in establishing the [Liverpool] Botanic Garden as example of his promoting botany. [John] Shepherd [(c 1764-1836, curator Liverpool Botanic Garden] going on well; considerable additions made to the collection since Smith left. Comments on "unprincipled attack" on [William] Roscoe's "Leo X" in "Critical Review"; pained to observe such a "spirit of illiberality" in one of their most popular periodicals.