He has been staying in Devon with his daughter. Glad to hear Smith's health better. Invites the Smiths to stay with them in Walthamstow, [Essex]. Account of his time in Devon, found 'Scirpus holoschoenus' and 'Teucrium scordium'. His health bad again. Thanks for Smith's "new edition".
Describes his travels since leaving Norwich on 30 April: stayed with Thomas Forster at Walthamstow and Edward Forster at Hale End, [both in Essex]; gave course of 10 lectures at the London Institution; saw the Coke family and Dr [Martin] Davy of Caius College, [Cambridge]; arrived in Bristol on 12 June but inflammation in his lungs recurred after his first three lectures, following treatment with James's powder, bleeding, and starvation resumed and completed lectures to a "brilliant & numerous" audience; staying in a cottage till end of September to regain his health. Finished third volume of his "[English] Flora". Heat in London prevented him from seeing Roscoe's son, Thomas, and the only exhibition or sight he saw was the King in the drawing room.
Suffering from giddiness brought on by the excessive heat of their "uncommon summer"; initially treated it as proceeding from gout but found his stomach was at fault, took purgatives to counteract the threat of constipation but has observed scybala; blames his heavy work load. The heat's effect on the garden: flowers all destroyed, apricots and peaches have not swelled nor ripened, peas and beans were ready all at once and quickly too old for the table, and oats and barley cramped by the heat, though the corn is promising. The poor manufacturing people do not have work above three days a week.
Addresses Smith as "one of the most successful and scientific cultivators of Natural History of which England can boast", informing him that a natural history museum funded by the government has been established here, by order of Lord Charles Somerset [(1767-1831), colonial administrator], and of which he has been appointed a superintendent. Offers to send Smith and Linnean Society any botanical, zoological, or mineralogical specimens required. Concedes that whilst considerable attention has been paid to this part of the world's botany a great deal remains to be done, alluding to new discoveries such as 'Crapula', 'Mesembryanthemum', 'Aloe', and 'Colyledon'. An application has been made to attach a botanic garden to the museum.
Heard that Smith's bad health forced him to abandon his Bristol lectures. Lady Cullum alarmingly ill with spasms of the thorax and abdomen: camphor, opium, and [ether] have gave little relief but small doses of calomel and castor oil helped, and she is now convalescing though her appetite is suppressed by an intermittent fever. On journey to Cheltenham could only briefly stop at Oxford to use stables and coach house of Dr [Martin] Routh [(1755-1854)], Master of Magdalen College, as it was race week.
Transcribes brief extract of letter from General [Thomas] Hardwicke on improvement of his health. Implores Smith not to overwork himself on "English Flora" and to forget "every thing unpleasant that passed at Cambridge" [Smith's campaign for botany professorship]. His son at Aix-la-Chapelle, [Germany], or Brussels, [Netherlands], his daughter-in-law's poor health the same despite trying so many celebrated baths in Europe.
Thanks for Smith's letter of 18 August and medical advice regarding his giddiness and constipation with scybala. Cumberland weather still unaccountably hot; recalls that at this time of his first year in Cumberland there was still snow on the hills and thick ice but this year the harvest is almost complete. Not surprised Smith has found 'Senecio lividus'; recalls collecting seed of it from Oxford walls and has grown it on the walls at Rose Castle along with 'Antirrhinum cymbalaria', 'Hieracium morurm', 'Tussilago odorata', and 'Asarum europaeum'.
Unsure whether the weavers want of work is due to the manufacturers not having sufficient orders or that machinery has been brought into greater use. No indication of political contest heard yet from the new Lord Thanet [Charles Tufton, 10th Earl of Thanet (1770-1832)], who is not so "red-hot" as his late brother [Sackville Tufton, 9th Earl of Thanet (1769-1825)]. Mrs Goodenough persistent complaints compounded by her "unconquerable dislike to taking remedies & using applications".