Anticipating visit from the Smiths on 1 May. He has been ill since last July with a liver complaint; mixed health of the rest of his family.

Found 'Eltaine hydropiper' growing plentifully in Berkshire; offers to send specimens; reluctant to reveal location.

Thanks for turkey. Corrêa de Serra is staying with him for a few days before going to Brazil via Paris. Pleased to hear of Smith's progress with publishing Linnaeus' letters. Found 'Silene lusitanica' in Berkshire, and 'Campanula patula' in East Hampstead. Truncated postscript enquiring whether Lady Smith left items at their house the last time they stayed.

[Letter incomplete: sections cropped, including part of Forster's postscript, presumed destroyed]

[Thomas] Hare wishes to dedicate a medical work to Smith. Recently hosted a party attended by Gray, Bennett, Edward Hartford, William Smith, Taylor, and Gibson. Believes the 'Silene' he found at Binfield, [Berkshire], is not 'S. lusitanica'; observations, including small ink sketch of petals; requests specimens to compare it against. [William Jackson] Hooker's "Flora Scotia" to be published soon.

[Note attached to verso of second folio] Title of Hare's book is "Considerations on the Structure, Functions, and Disorders of the Stomach and Alimentary Organs of the Human Body..." [(1821)].

Expects Smith on 30 April. Suffering from insomnia, which he treats with laudanum, and is never well. Approves of [Thomas] Hare's dedication to Smith ["Considerations on the Structure, Functions, and Disorders of the Stomach and Alimentary Organs of the Human Body..." (1821)]; his opinion of Hare. Though he has not seen Correa for a while does not believe he has left.

Glad to hear Smith will visit them in May, hopes he will being Lady [Pleasance] Smith; will take him to botanise at Binfield and Virginia Water, [Berkshire]. Found many more specimens of his new 'Silene', which if not 'S. lusitanica' is a decumbent plant. Planning to publish a Flora of Berkshire with [James] Bicheno.

Death of his sister after a "long & very painful illness". Thanks for partridges, sorry to hear Smith is unwell. [Adam] Afzelius publishing a "Life of Linnaeus"; details of the work; wishes to know value of an English translation. Ambassador from Peru and some Spaniards are coming to dine with him today; they are doing "great good" there and have liberated all the children of slaves. Correction of plants names in 'Linum' and 'Limosella aquatica'.

Sending two dozen "Russia Tongues". Would like Smith's opinion of [Adam] Afzelius' "Life of Linnaeus" before writing back to him.

Death of his mother following a sudden illness.

Anticipates Smith's upcoming visit. Sorry Smith has been ill again.

Sending cask of cranberries. Very unwell for the last 7 months, which has delayed his projected work on 'Rubus'; offers to send Merten's 'Rubus'. Anticipating Smiths annual visit. Doctors say his complaint is a disorder in his liver. Comments on naming of his 'Rubus elegans'.

He has been very ill for the last 9 months. Thanks for turkey; pleased to hear the Smiths will visit in the spring. The 'Vicia' Smith mentioned is [John] Sibthorp's 'V. angustifolia', not the 'V. lathyroides' of [William] Hudson; will write further on the 'Cnicus', it grows near Tunbridge Wells, [Kent]. Recommends [Robert] Brown as first choice or [James] Bicheno as second for Linnean Society Secretaryship, or [Edward] Barnard.

Thanks Smith for naming 'Cnicus forsteri' after him, but concerned there are too many 'foresteris' already. Smith's definition very good, answers his queries about the plant. His daughter, Harriet, has just married and is moving to Devon. Directions to his house for Smith's spring visit.

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".

Happy to host the Smiths from 15 October; thanks them for calling on his family at Binfield, [Berkshire]. His health much better than it has been for a long time.

[Smith has annotated "his last letter!"]