Unenthusiastic about Smith's apparent offer to obtain the works on animals of Albertus Magnus [(c 1206-1280) Dominican friar and bishop], "of all dull books, the most dull are those of scholastic writers". Grudgingly advises only to buy if the 1478 Rome or 1479 Mantua editions should ever surface, "though it is throwing money away on trash". Received an answer from [Johann] Hedwig "to the prize question in Petersburg, with 37 colour plates" and the two first fasciculi of his "Stirpes Cryptogamicae". Agrees with Hedwig's account of the "fructification of 'Filices' and 'Algae' although unconvinced on 'Equisteum'. Sends compliments to [Pierre Marie Auguste] Broussonet, asks how the Royal Society can acquire the complete set of "Memoires de l'academie des Sciences", lists years currently missing.

Will have to delay his paper on 'Begonia' as Smith is not in London for the first meeting of the Linnean Society and he needs to see the Linnaean Herbarium to settle 'Begonia capensis'. Also suspects that the large-leaved 'Begonia' in Linneaus the younger's herbarium is the 'Begonia grandeflora' of [Joseph von Nicolaus] Jacquin and 'Begonia macrophylla' of Lamarck. Studying [Antoine Laurent de] Jussieu's "Genera Plantarum", and will be necessary for Smith to study before publishing any more work.

[Smith has briefly noted his reply] Hopes to be in London for the first meeting but not in time to study 'Begonia', so will supply somthing else for the meeting, comments on errors on Lichens in volume two of Jacquin's ["Collectanea ad botanicam"].