Gives further instructions on sending books [see JH's 1813-8-2]. Comments on 'refractory' nature of religious thought. Is not in love, but teases JW about frequent visits to Thackerays. Recounts current heavy involvement in music, asking [Thomas?] Greenwood for help with harmonies.
Informed in confidence that [Charles] Konig will most likely become Keeper of Natural History at British Museum in consequence of his "great exertion" in arrangement of the Greville minerals. [Bingley] believes he has great friends in the Museum, having heard of [George] Shaw's death less than 24 hours later.
Pledges his support to Smith for situation of Professor of Botany [at Cambridge], though his name has long been taken off the boards for voting. Asks for Smith's continued support in his campaign for Keeper position, and to interest Bishop of Winchester [Brownlow North], Archbishop of Canterbury [Charles Manners-Sutton (1755-1828)], and Sir Joseph Banks to his cause.
Has written to Duke of Gloucester [Prince William Frederick (1776-1834), chancellor of Cambridge University] and [Thomas] Creevey [(1768-1838), politician] in support of Smith's Cambridge candidature [for botany professorship]; does not doubt Smith's success. His knee recovering but cannot yet commit to a journey to Norfolk. Has ordered [William] Roxburgh's "Asiatic researches" paper on 'Scitamineae', in which he appears to have partially adopted his [Roscoe's] arrangement but without acknowledgement, and eleventh volume of "Linnean Transactions" containing his paper ['On Artificial and Natural Arrangements of Plants']; his concerns about the paper. Will look out Smith's biography of [José Celestino Bruno] Mutis [(1732-1808), botanist] in [Abraham] Rees' "Cyclopedia".
Has manuscript copy of [Peter Simon] Pallas' autobiography by way of [William] Coxe [(1748-1828)] and a German life of Pallas possibly by [Kurt] Sprengel is at Sir Joseph Banks'. Received a letter from Dr [Eriedrich Ernst Ludwig von] Fisher of the Gorenki Gardens, [Russia], stating that Pallas left all his natural history collection to the Academy of Berlin where he died. Has sent 'Leptospermum', 'Plumeria pudica', 'Justicia americana', and 'Russelia' to [James] Sowerby for "Exotic Botany". Has grown a new species of 'Brucea' from seed, and plants from Mexico. Pleased at Smith's good prospects for Cambridge professorship. Death of [George] Shaw from a bowel complaint. Sent Sir Jospeh Banks plants of the true chili, believes Smith is wrong about them.
Found 'Aristolochia clematitis' in flower at Oxford Botanic Garden, discussion with gardener, notes on enclosed specimen [extant]; found 'Tipula plumicornis' in some of the flowers. Wishes Smith success in his application for botanic chair at Cambridge [University]. Concerned at reports of death of Revd Hornsted. Met Dr [George] Williams, Oxford Professor of Botany, at the Oxford garden. His commitment to natural history; has named his recently born daughter "Linnaea".
Specimen of 'Aristolochia clematitis'.
Smith's candidature for Botany Professorship at Cambridge University. Suffering from ill health and a serious complaint in his eyes. Will support Smith's candidacy but as an Oxford man has few Cambridge connections.
Has been to London and procured the books mentioned by CB. Mentions differential equations of P. S. Laplace. Regarding some of CB's theorems. Problem of law of chance. Printing of his memoir.
Asks to JW to check on books apparently sent [see JH's 1813-8-2 & 1813-8-6], which have not yet arrived.
Lists the candidates for [Charles] Konig's now vacant position [for Assistant Keeper of Natural History at British Museum]: Dr [William Elford] Leach, Mr Wood, Mr Lawrence, and Mr Thompson; requests information on Leach and Thompson. Transcribes letters of support from the Bishop [of Winchester, Brownlow North] and Lord Malmesbury [James Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury (1746-1820)]. Will support Smith's application for Professor of Botany [at Cambridge], asks for particularls of "Flora Graeca" so as to better argue Smith's claim.
Smith's candidature for Botany Professorship at Cambridge University. Everyone convinced Smith has best scientific claim for the professorship. Promised to give his own vote to [Richard] Relhan and solicited to give a second vote should Relhan concede in favour of Brook, but as Relhan now unlikely to contest unsure what to do. Will canvas for Smith with any voters he meets.
Smith's candidature for Botany Professorship at Cambridge University. Reiterates importance of having the vice-chancellor's [William Chafy (1779-1843), vice-chancellor 1813 & 1829] support for both the Walkerian lectureship and the whole Professorship. Explains structure of the Senate, lists college heads currently supporting Smith, debates other potential supporters and process of election. [Arthur] Biggs' [(1765-1848)] election as curator of Botanic Garden. Sir Issac Pennington [(1745-1817), physician and chemist] thinks Smith's non-membership of the university or Church of England makes it difficult for him to be granted an appointment; Martyn refutes this, with examples. Death of [George] Shaw.
Numbered observations on enclosed plants: 1. what he takes to be either an 'Anthemis' or 'Matricaria', "which has been a stumbling block for 20 years", and is none of those described in "Flora Britannica"; 2. an 'Atriplex' possibly 'A. hastata'.
Was already supporting Smith's candidacy for Cambridge Botany Professorship when he received Coke's letter canvassing for same.
Sends numbers as usual and encloses £15 note. Also sends a little bit of ulmin on elm bark, finds similar substance on oak, hornbeam, and horse chestnut and asks Smith's botanical friends to look out for it; has recommended it to the Society of Arts as excellent for finishing in water colours, in same way that Sir Joshua Reynolds [(1723-1792), painter] used 'Asphaltum' in oil.
Requests Smith to revise enclosed 4 numbers of "English botany" and number enclosed in last.
Sends a number of theorems and integrals.
Sends two plants from [George] Don; cannot work out the 'Anthemis', which is near 'A. cotula', and asks if the 'Atriplex' is 'A. alba' of Gmelin.
Encloses fruit of 'Rosa rubella' at request of Mr Holme. Asks Smith's opinion on news from Europe and whether the "step of Austria" will end the war. Query on calyx of 'Rosa rubella' constant?". Suffering from gout in his left arm and hand.
Encourages JH to get rid of his hatred of infants.
Smith's letter and enclosure for [Richard Griffin, 2nd Baron] Braybrooke [(1750-1825)] delayed; hopes Smith has not lost anything which Braybrooke "could do in the case". His son on a tour of Ireland; young men of this day cut off from continental tours and "perhaps do well to see the more of their own country". Experiencing a cold summer; fruit all backward but they have more grapes than they can eat from vinery and has not eaten "such invaribly good melons as in this year - orange cantaloupe, & green fleshed Egyptian", credits Mr Knight's frames which "give equal depth from the glass to the plants throughout", two rough sketches in ink of new and old beds. Has only been shooting three times but gratified by accomplishment of his fancy for gun with vertical barrels instead of horizontal, explains previous difficulties making this work and the solution made by Forsyth.
Reports on his summer excursion: visited Sir Joseph Banks at Spring Grove, Smallbury Green, and his garden and "elegant dairy", afraid Banks will not walk properly again; the Bishop of Winchester's [Brownlow North] garden containing magnolias, tea trees, 'Salisburia adiantifolia', 'Arbutus andrachne', and rhododendrons; disappointed by Isle of Wight other than Sir Nash Grose's [(1740-1814), judge] house; impressed with Portsmouth's fortifications and dockyards, thinks that it will be a great loss if those of the 7000 [French] prisoners in Portchester Castle are stopped making their lace; also visited Chichester, Arundel, Worthing, Brighton, and London. Heard of deaths of [George] Shaw and Dr [John] Davie, Master of S[i]dney Sussex College, Cambridge. [Thomas] Martyn evidentally still intellectually active, having edited Dr Steven's "Treatise on Human Happiness".
Will be visiting London shortly and hopes to purchase some experimental equipment to carry out experiments with heat.