Sends Smith copy of newspaper [not extant] reporting the incident involving "an unworthy member" of the Linnean Society [Richard Salisbury]. His son and family leaving for London and then Paris for winter for Mrs Cullum's health, against his recommendation of Bath, [Somerset]. Lady Cullum still suffering from an intermittent fever. Visited by Revd Dr Thomas Frognall Dibdin [(1776-1847)], author of "Bibliomania", "Decameron", and others, he is now working on a life of Thomas à Kempis [(c 1380-1471)]. Glad to hear of Mr Freeman, a young botanist, but laments to hear of so many persons being shot by "spring guns" placed in woods a botanist should not enter. Received specimen of 'Centaurea solstitialis' from Dr [William] Webb growing near St Edmund's Hill, Bury.

Sends specimens of willows ['Salix'] in leaf he previously sent in flower. Recommends forgetting names quoted from Mertens, who named them in his garden without reference to specimens or books, particularly unsure on 'S. tetrapla'. Forster's opinion of 'S. wulfeniana' derived from foreign specimen.