Appoints Thomas Marsham as a Vice-President in place of Jonas Dryander, deceased.
Account of the dinner at Somerset House [home of the Royal Academy] at which the Prince Regent [George IV (1762-1830)] was present and made a speech in which he pledged himself to support the arts, and in which he praised the exhibition and artists, including [Benjamin] West [(1738-1820), painter and president of the Royal Academy 1806-1820]; West's speech kept them in "agony".
His first two lectures "more splendidly & fully attended" than any he ever had; they are held on Mondays and Tuesdays. London meetings. Consulted by Mrs J Lane about an abridgement of Gibbon she has in hand. Wearing mourning for T Smith; surprise at suddenness of Leyson Cooper's death. [William] Roscoe may be coming to the Installation and to Holkham, [Norfolk]. Bishop of Durham [Shute Barrington] to become Honorary Member of the Linnean Society.
Has not written since 29 April [1811]. Her manuscript is at Longman's, no answer as yet. Hopes her parents are recovering their health. Journal type entries of his dinners and meetings in London. His "Hafod Tour" may pay its expenses, but no more, for this year at least. The Dilettanti club rejected him and everyone else proposed last year, though he had the fewest black balls.
[William Fitt] Drake working "diligently & extremely well" for the "Cyclopedia", a great help to him. Dr [Martin] Davy of Caius [College, Cambridge] is married, so does not expect an invitation to the installation, but he is coming to London 24 May; will come out of mourning but return to it the next day for George W. Attended parties at Mrs Weddell's, and Sir Joseph Banks', [Richard] Salisbury also in attendance, the first party he has met him at since they separated. Dined at William Smith's. His next lecture to be very general, "on the parts & structure of plants".
[Letter incomplete: second folio cropped, presumed destroyed]
Ill-health. Account of a visit to Kew; party at C Scott's; Linnean Society anniversary meeting, at which [Richard] Salisbury voted, and who is now "more troublesome by civility & deference" in botanical conversation; [Edward] Rudge suspected of stealing specimens from Sir Joseph Banks; concerned by progress of "Cyclopedia"; dined at William Smith's; dined at [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert's, where he met Mr and Mrs Cator, who have papers of Peter Collinson's [(1694-1768)]; gave his last lecture, much applauded; breakfast with William Roscoe and [William Jackson] Hooker; a visit to Westminster Abbey with William Smith and the Miss Smiths; Thomas Forster; rejected papers of Rudge's as they were designed to "plague" [Robert] Brown and were instigated by [Richard] Salisbury; visited Lady Cremorne at Chelsea, her character; Bishop of Winchester [Brownlow North]; the Jones's; the Fairbairns; Sir Thomas and Lady Cullum; at the Davenports' met Henry Warburton [(1784-1858), merchant]. Their cousin William Daniel has sent his "picturesque book on animals".
Pleased at account of her mother's recovery. Has not seen his cousin [Richard] Westall's [(1765-1836), painter] illustrations of [Walter] Scott's [(1771-1832), author] works yet. [Richard] Salisbury has been "thrusting himself forward" to talk with himself and [William Jackson] Hooker at Sir Joseph Banks'; Banks gave Salisbury a "rough rub" about changing plant names.
Received £66 16s for his lectures and expenses. Account of his journey to Westhorp [Kindersley home, Smith's cousins] and description of the setting and house; Sir George Nugent [(1757-1849), army officer] visited yesterday. Their future plans, including visits to Hall Place [home of Sir William and Lady East]. Accounts she has of the King [George III (1738-1820)] exaggerated, at least to his dying. Dinners at William Smith's with Hooker; Bishop of Winchester's [Brownlow North]; [Alexander] Macleay's, with food and drink listed; [William George] Maton's; account of visit to Formosa, an island in the Thames owned by Mr Young.
Kept here [home of Kindersleys, Smith's cousins] by a feverish complaint; asks [Thomas] Marsham or [William George] Maton to take Linnean Society Chair. Encloses letter from "good" Lord [Edward Smith-]Stanley, to be returned.
Smith's reply to Goodenough's dated 4 October 1811. Goodenough does him "great injustice" but by mistake, he informed Goodenough of his disbelief in vicarious punishment as taught by the [Anglican] church in confidence, and claims, as a professed dissenter, his own right to judge for himself. States that he has never perplexed Drake or anyone else with his doubts or opinions and only tried to get him to take the Christian religion as a whole, and thinks that all Christians should judge for themselves.
Just returned from 10 days at [Thomas William] Coke's at Holkham [Hall, Norfolk]; unable will send a paper for tonight's Linnean Society meeting but will do for the next. Recovered from his illness since August but caught a cold on way to Holkham. The Prince Regent [later George IV (1762-1830)] wishes to become the Society's patron but the matter is stationary until he is free from restrictions on his involvement with chartered bodies; Lord [Edward Smith-]Stanley, "our zealous friend, is on the watch for the completion of the business". Had not heard of plan for a Linnean Dining Club, but "supposes it will be a good plan, as nothing is done in London without eating & drinking"; offers his assistance in removing anyone's reluctance.