Frederick [Smith's brother] still in town. Account of his time in London: visited Westminster Abbey; dined with [William Fitt] Drake at [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert's; tiring Audit and Council meetings [at Linnean Society]; Linnean Society anniversary meeting; a wish expressed for a bust of Smith to be made by [Francis Leggatt] Chantrey [(1781-1841), sculptor], as companion to the one of Sir Joseph Banks; only 49 present at the dinner, compared to 70 last year, held in the Free Masons' tavern; Bishop [of Carlisle, Samuel Goodenough] and [Edward] Rudge informed him that the agricultural distress "is in a great measure imaginary"; visit to the British gallery with the Drake and Harriet [Drake's wife?]; went to Royal Institution, is not lecturing this year, but finds they are much called for, may lecture next year, London Institution have also asked him to lecture; visited the Miss Blackwells and assumed they were grave on account of [Thomas William] Coke's marriage but was in fact sudden death of Duchess of Grafton; visits to Lord Stanley, Lady Anson, Lady Scott wife of Sir Claude Scott, Duke of Norfolk, Lady Petre, and Lady Hervé and Miss Caton. Meeting with Coke and Lady Anne, his new wife; alterations at Holkham. Visits to R Kindersley [Smith's cousin]; Lord Stafford's pictures; Lady Banks; [James] Sowerby; the Munros; Major and Mrs Sandham. Plans to visit Sir Thomas Cullum in Bury, [Suffolk]. His feverish and pulmonary symptoms all gone. Harriet admitted a fellow of the Linnean Society in form. Saw [Dawson] Turner at anniversary meeting. Mr Crabbe received £3000 from Murray for copyright to his poems.

Thanks for the Nautical Almanac. Still requires R.S.P.T. for 1817. Through Francis Baily he will receive copies of his Yearbook, one for his father and one for the R.S.L.

Thanks him on behalf of the Astronomical Society for his Histoire de l'astronomie moderne. Gives details of a paper on Arabic manuscripts in the Cambridge Philosophical Transactions. Have D. F. J. Arago and J. N. Nicollet received his letter?

Puzzled to understand how Smith has made Harriet [Drake, William Drake's wife] FLS. Her aunt [with whom she is staying] looking well; changes to the garden; saw ruined church at Covehill and another at Southwould in good repair; bought china, description and small sketch; local prices for agricultural produce, the present state is "ruinous", other agricultural distresses; her findings from researching the Sidney family.

His health has been poor and is still not well. Outlines his surveys for the site of the Observatory, difficulties of storing instruments, lack of finance. Gives details of the observations carried out so far. First assistant is leaving and has appointed a R.C. priest. Remember him to his friends.