Acknowledges that Miss Smith [Smith's niece] "wholly responsible" for "unhandsome conduct" used towards them; apologises to Smith for letter he sent [disagreement over finding her a situation as a governess].

The genus 'Crocus'.

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.

Hopes the mistletoe berries he forwarded for Smith will succeed. Sorry to hear of Smith's troubles with his "near connections". Linnean Society disappointed by Smith's absence on 16 April. Has taken the chair at the Society a few times after [Alexander] Macleay's report of "poor [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert having forgot himself one night most strangely". Reports an accident at Westminster School, of which his son Edmund is the headmaster, involving a pupil and a glazier who "saw too much". Edmund to marry Miss Fanny Cockerell, youngest daughter of [Samuel Pepys] Cockerell [(1753-1827)] the architect and niece of Sir Charles Cockerell [1st baronet (1755-1837), banker].

Returned from Scotland. Happy to hear Smith will be at next Linnean Society meeting, hopes Smith can attend upcoming Council meeting. The Society to take late Sir Joseph Banks' house as its rooms, with the drawing room to become the meeting room. A subscription being raised for marble bust of Banks, limited to £1; £100 of £120 cost already raised. New "Linnean Transactions" volume ready for publication before 24 [May 1821], "it will be a very splendid one", the plates for [Robert] Brown's paper cost £240. Necessary for the Society to recruit in order to continue, asks Smith to interest [Thomas] Brightwell [(1787-1868)], "one of the most intelligent entomologists in this kingdom".

His family "harrassed" by sickness. Regretted missing [William] Roscoe whilst he was in Norwich, and was unaware until Smith's letter of Roscoe's botany interests. Thinks that Dawson Turner would be "highly gratified" to examine Smith's two chests of "botanical treasures" from the East Indies. Looks forward to hope of visiting Smith in Norwich.

Disappointed in receiving visits from Smith and Bishop of Norwich [Henry Bathurst (1744-1837)]; latter's attendence at House of Lords did not produce the peace in Ireland anticipated. Received a box of Australian specimens, now with [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert; half are for Smith. Asks Smith not to trouble himself about the aquatics. His new pit proficient at raising seeds; expects to show Smith new things from Australia, Nepal, and Brazil.

Thanks for letter of 22 March and specimens, although latter have not yet arrived.

Apologises for delay in informing Smith of state of the subscription to purchase an annuity for [William] Roscoe; Smith's £50 transferred to the fund; about £3,000 already subscribed, exclusive of [Thomas William] Coke's £100 per annum. Roscoe appears pleased "at the manner in which this mark of the esteem and regards of his friends has been brought about". Roscoe has made himself unwell through overwork on several literary pursuits. The Martin family all well [Smith's sister and family].

Following Smith's statement that he would not object to the Linnean Society paying attention to the fungi, suggests that members be invited to bring drawings to the first autumn meeting.

Sends a piece of Arabic poetry for Lady Smith. Eulogises on the "pleasing associations" made by encounters with friends in the "noise and bustle" of London.

Sends specimen of 'Tulipa sylvestris'; the bulbs were taken from an island in the Derwent, near Derby; cultivation details. Sorry to miss opportunity of meeting Lady [Pleasance] Smith.

Thanks for plants and copy of "Selection of the correspondence of Linnaeus"; his admiration of [Peter] Collinson [(1694-1768)] and [John] Ellis [(1710-1776)] from reading their letters. Extremely cold spring. Joy at wild specimen of '[Hedysarum] gyrans' and majestic fruit of the "Dalichos". Will forward [David] Hosack's parcel to Smith.

Thanks for "A selection from the correspondence of Linnaeus"; hopes to have Smith to dinner next year when she has a house in London. Sending catalogue of her library at Eshton Hall, [Yorkshire]; found great part of the natural history books and classics at Bierly, and collected the rest herself.

Sending letter via Benson Rathbone. Forthcoming publications: publishing a 48 volume collection of the Italian poets with Mr Valpy, the London printer, discusses his ideas for the series; writing a life of [Alexander] Pope [(1688-1744), poet] and publishing a new edition of Pope's works with an association of London booksellers, a considerable labour considering the continuing debate as to his moral and poetical characters; adding an additional volume to his "Life of Lorenzo"; and his "Holkham Catalogue" [of manuscripts in library of Thomas William Coke].

'Hedychium excelsum' has flowered and a new species of 'Roscoea' sent as a species of 'Orchis' about to flower [at Liverpool Botanic Garden]; proposes name 'speciosa' or 'lucida', further remarks on the plant. Has made additions to genus 'Canna' and drawn up synoptical table of 20 species, and similar for 'Hedychium' and 'Curcuma' [for his "Monandrian plants of the order Scitamineae.."]. Thanks Smith for "Correspondence of Linnaeus & other Naturalists". Smith's anecdote about identity of the peach and nectarine reminds him of a similar confusion at Liverpool Botanic Garden where an unknown plant was distributed as 'Hedychium flavum' until it dramatically increased in size the following year and turned out to be 'H. coronarium'; [Roscoe has made a sketch of the flower, in ink].

Apologises to Lord Mountnorris [George Annesley] for detaining his 'Scitamineae' figures for so long; has made copies.

Received Smith's letter of 13 April. Thanks for the mistletoe berries. A severe drought in Scotland has killed many young trees, herbaceous plants and crops "so that famine is staring us in the face". Working on his index and has now reached 'Didynamia' and 1500 species and has completed his commentary on the first part of the "Herbarium Amboinense" intended for the Wernerian Society in Edinburgh but despairs at their tardiness. Will continue his work on the "Hortus Malabaricus".

Received Smith's letter of 23 April. Thanks for Smith's "Grammar of Botany", his son, Jules [Julius Hermann Schultes], plans to translate it into German. Has bought Palestinian, Cretan, and Egyptian plant collections from [Franz Wilhelm] Sieber.

Reliable account, from one of his labourers, of a hedgehog sucking udder of a cow, who 30 years ago whilst walking to work at 4 in the morning saw a cow stand up and a hedgehog fall from its udder. [Thomas] Bewick [(1753-1828), ornithologist] does not comment on this disposition whilst [Thomas] Pennant argues against it on account of smallness of the hedgehog's mouth; will ascertain this by measuring.

Feelings increasingly frail in mind and body, especially his legs, and has not been angling or worked in his workshop for sometime, and last year's shooting ended his sporting life. Received Banksian medal from Horticultural Society for his Green Egyptian melons. His son and daughter-in-law are creating a flower garden in the wood.

After an absence of twenty-six years and five months is soon to leave for Lisbon, Portugal, from Falmouth, Cornwall. His health is still frail.

Thanks for plants; had previously received some of the species from Nepal through [Nathaniel] Wallich, but unnamed. Comments on inconveniences of this "place of banishment", particularly there being no botanical library but his own, nor any botanical friends to consult with. Asks Smith to remember him should he receive interesting specimens; in return sending copy of his "Musci Exotici". Asks if he sent 'Lyellia crispa', and if Smith has seen 'Primula scotia', to be figured in "Flora Londinensis". Blackwood of Edinburgh keen for him to publish a periodical on exotic botany ["Exotic flora"]; requests access to [Francis] Buchanan's East India drawings.

His students have increased by 18 compared to last year, a total of 75 though only 52 were paying students. Expects [Robert] Graham [(1786-1845)] at Edinburgh to make over £1200 from his [botany] professorship, besides his practice as physician; they have formed a new garden of 14 acres, with stoves and greenhouses. Death of Dr Stuart.