Thanks for turkey. Lady Banks recently called on him "as fat, as talkative, & as laughing as ever", concludes that ladies do not affect to mourn as long as they used to; recalls a young Carlisle widow who married a former sweetheart the day after lamenting the loss of her "dear mate". Bemoans the political jobbery being exhibited in Parliament, "who can deny but that all men have their price". Received a plant of 'Neottia speciosa' from the Bishop of Durham [Shute Barrington] but unsure if he can keep it alive. The Bishop has been advised to stop riding; Goodenough often sees him being driven in Regent's Park looking as young as he did thirty years ago. Their Linnean dining club now has between thirty and forty members. His granddaughter's bad back continues. [William] Bullock [(c 1780-1849), naturalist and antiquary] has brought to London two native Laplanders and a herd of reindeer which he hopes to naturalise; he says that Bagshot Heath has enough reindeer moss to support a herd of 100,000.

Urges Smith to write to Archbishop of Canterbury [Charles Manners-Sutton (1755-1828)] at once in support of [William] Swainson as a candidate for British Museum. Political meetings beginning to be held in London, Goodenough thinks it time that party men unite for the benefit of the country and for all ranks of mankind to retrench and "live as they did sometime back" to allow prudence. The government busy curtailing and displacing the clerks in the office but doubts it will save anything.

Thanks for barrel of oysters. Steadily working on his "English Flora" and hopes to get it to the press in May; expects it to be "quite an original Flora" as he has been revising the whole subject and correcting mistakes made by previous writers and compilers. Asks Goodenough's advice regarding accenting of names and whether to give derivation of generic names. The whole object of the book is "botanical determination". Asks Goodenough's opinion of the "green old age" of [Thomas William] Coke [on 26 February 1822 Coke married for the second time Lady Anne Amelia Keppel (1803-1844), fifty years his junior]. Smith hopes he has done some good with the grasses and triandria monogynia, with which [Robert] Brown is "very great" but refines too much.

Thinks Smith has a massive task with his "English Flora" if it encompasses all he proposes. As the object of the work is botanical determination advises accenting generic and specific names throughout and offers a system. Does not advise giving etymology of generic and specific names. Attended a rare daytime Linnean Society council meeting, believes that if it is always held in day attendance would be sufficient. Thinks there is "something undoubtedly very preposterous" in Thomas William Coke's marriage [to Lady Anne Amelia Keppel (1803-1844), fifty years his junior]; many people are talking about it. It is expected that Mrs Coutts will distribute Mr Coutts property as he intended after leaving everything to her to avoid legacy tax.

Takes on advice in Goodenough's last letter on "English Flora": only explanations of generic names will be for those new to British readers; praises Goodenough's plan for accenting but decides to adopt a simpler system. Queries whether [Augustin] de Candolle's new term, "carpella", for the single grains of compound fruits should not be "carpiola". Adopting [Johann von] Schreber's [(1739-1810)] genus 'Spartina' for 'Dactylis stricta' but the French have called it 'Limnetis'. Fears [William] Swainson has not succeeded in his attempts for a British Museum post. Regrets that party politics should make men such as [Thomas William] Coke and Edmund Wodehouse [(1784-1855), politician] enemies; feels some alarm at difference in age between Coke and his new wife [fifty years his junior]. [William] Roscoe preparing a "very excellent distribution of the species of 'Canna'" for Linnean Society.

Explains further his remarks on accenting plant names. [Augustin] de Candolle's term "carpella" should be "carpelli". Cannot work out term "sepala" but thinks Smith need not use it. Prefers older name of 'Spartina' for 'Dactylis stricta' rather than newer 'Limnetis'. Franked Smith's letter to [William] Roscoe. Attended Sir Humphry Davy's conversazione but did not hear anything about [William] Swainson's application to British Museum. In reference to fifty year age difference between Thomas William Coke and his new wife [Lady Anne Amelia Keppel (1803-1844)] states that an age difference in marriage of three to ten years is "disparity enough" but as the love was from her side Coke may be excused.

Obliged to the Smiths for their condolences following the death of his daughter, Mrs Charlotte Lynn. She had nearly recovered from her long troubles with chest disorders and dangerous inflammations by taking extract of hemlock but was taken ill after drinking a glass of cold water following an exerting walk and never recovered. She has left twelve children between ages of sixteen years and six months. Two months ago he received and ignored a letter from Smith's sister, Mrs Lloyd, complaining of her husband's, Dr Lloyd, and Smith's confinement of her. Relieved that the King [George IV (1762-1830)] did not come via Carlisle on his way to or from Scotland. Thinks the current session of Parliament has gone on long enough and does not approve of the new principle of bringing every complaint, well or ill-founded, before it.

Since the death his daughter, Mrs Charlotte Lynn, Mr Lynn has not tried for pupils nor attempted to find a matron to superintend the management and education of his children. Praises character of the King [George IV (1762-1830)], who "has only to shew himself & everyone must admire him", and blames his previous foolish practices on his tutors the Bishop of Worcester and Dr Arnold. Dislikes the "idle rumours" about the attempt or design to assassinate the Duke of Wellington [Arthur Wellesley (1769-1852), soldier and statesman]. Wonders the true reason for [Thomas William] Coke giving up his agicultural meetings; [John Christian] Curwen [(1756-1828)], a great agiculturist in Cumberland, has given up his political agricultural meetings after being elected for the county, his chief aim.

Goodenough's observations on insects and birds: there have been no wasps this year compared to the multitudes last year which ate all their fruit; the last swifts left at the beginning of August, and last week during violent storms no swallows or martins were seen but with calmer skies they have returned, in fewer numbers, having already arrived late and less numerous than usual.

Is sorry to read in the papers the news of the death of William Herschel. Had he been near he would have liked to have attended the funeral.

Plagued with gout. Thanks for the "magnificent" present of game from Holkham, [Norfolk, home of Thomas William Coke]. Difficulties following the death of his daughter, Mrs Charlotte Lynn, in the summer, leaving twelve children. Lady Anne Coke [(1803-1844), wife of Thomas William Coke] pregnant. Unsure of Miss [Elizabeth] Coke's age but knows her father-in-law is Mr Spencer-Stanhope who leases an estate in Northumberland under him as Bishop of Carlisle. Hopes the world has escaped the menaced war. Asks when "Flora Britannica" will be finished.

Ordered a barrel of oysters for Smith and recovering from gout caused by the cold weather. Praises new volume of "Linnean Transactions": enjoys the publication of whole genus monographs, as with [David] Don's [(1799-1841), botanist] 'Saxifraga' paper, but wishes the Latin had been checked; thinks [Francis Hamilton's] "Commentary on Hortus Malabaricus" will prove very useful to "science at large"; thinks Sir Thomas Raffles' [(1781-1826), founder of Singapore] "descriptive catalogue" needed plates.

The Bishop of Peterborough [Herbert Marsh (1757-1839)] wrote introducing Dr Swaenchen, a German cryptogamist, but he has not called yet. [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert overjoyed at his museum being named "Lambertian Museum".

Thanks for turkey. Refused [Archibald] Menzies solicitation to support for Dr [Christian Friedrich] Schwaegrichen [(1775-1853)] as a Foreign Member of the Linnean Society; [Georg] Noehden's was the only other name. [Thomas William] Coke must be pleased at the birth of his child.