Death of François Borone: apparently fell through a narrow window in his sleep into the street below, dying almost immediately. Gives account of funeral including attempt by the Archbishop to extort money for permission for the burial. Planning to visit the Morea with [John] Hawkins in January, returning to England in spring or early summer. Has visited Olympus, Troy, Lemnos, Mount Athos, and Negropont.

On advice of [William] Withering is sending a specimen of the "creeping fig", with fruit. [Francis] Masson [(1741-1805), Kew plant collector] called it 'Ficus pumila' but Abbé Correa [José Corrêa de Serra] calls it 'Ficus repens', it grows abundantly in greenhouse of Royal Botanic Garden. Saw Correa and the "unfortunate [Pierre Marie Auguste] Broussonet" [who was forced to leave Paris and then Madrid], who disembarked in Lisbon after becoming concerned by reports of patrolling French cruisers. Has attempted to get Broussonet passage on the King's ship but Captain Rodney has strict orders against carrying French passengers. Broussonet agrees the fig is 'Ficus repens'. Sir Henry Vane, baronet, has taken charge of it on the "America".

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Thanks Smith for his "obliging attention" and assures him "her sentiments have always corresponded with those of the song" [Smith has annotated at foot of letter: "[William] Cowper's [(1731-1800)] poem on the slave trade ["The Negro's Lament]"]. Sorry that she has to leave London just as Smith's botanical lectures begin.

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Lady de Clifford [Sophia Southwell] and herself are anxious for Smith to repeat last year's visit to Northaw as promised. Asks for Smith's assistance in recommending Lady de Clifford's gardener, Duncan Mucheson, to a new situation.

Confirms that her health has been bad since Smith's last visit but implores him and his three friends to still visit. Grieg, her gardener, has been confined for five weeks after injuring his leg climbing over a gate but has escaped fever and mortification. Her botanical zeal low recently. Prefers eating 'Convolvulus batatas' [sweet potato] to potatoes.

Apologises but will be too ill to receive Smith and his two friends on Saturday, though they should still visit on their way to Bulstrode [Park, Buckinghamshire, home of Duke of Portland]. Warns Smith that her garden is not currently looking its best.

Acknowledges Smith's postponement of his visit on account of her ill-health and hopes the next time he visits the [Harvey] Spraggs will be of the party. Grieg, her gardener, disappointed Smith did not come as he had got the plants in best order possible. Will send seeds.

Escape from France. Intends to go to America via England, asks for assistance as to passage and for Sir Joseph Banks's help.

Ficus reptans'. Hopes to reach England. José Francisco Correia de Serra continuing his natural history studies.

His life and friends in Lisbon. Local plants.

Brazilian zoology. Intends to go to Gibraltar. Insects and plants.

Compliments Smith's "Tour of the Continent". Received New Holland [Australian] plants from [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert, one has been named after him ['Pultenaea']. Noticed Smith's restoration of synonyms of 'Pinguicula'. If his paper is being printed in "Linnean Transactions"[presumably "History and description of a minute epiphyllous Lycoperdon"] asks to add [Christiaan Hendrik] Persoon's 'Aeidium anemones' of [Johann] Gmelin ["Systema naturae"] p.1473. Anxious for L'Héritier's safety. Has [Heinrich] Tode's "Fungi [Mecklenburgenses]".

Prefers that if a plant is named for him that it is capable of being cultured in England ['Pultenaea', an Australian plant, was named]. Received Sierra Leone seeds from [François] Borone, unsure if he can grow them. Asks if the "oak leather" fungus in [John] Ray's "Synopsis" is known and investigated in London, offers to send specimen, believes it is the dry rot of house timbers.

Thanks for "Linnean Transactions" vol 2 and plant specimens. Sorry to hear of death of [François] Borone. Thanks for Smith's "Tentamen de [filicum]". [William George] Maton just returned to Salisbury, [Wiltshire], after taking a degree at Oxford and gaining admission to Linnean Society. Encloses specimen of 'Acidium berberidis' [extant].

Specimen of 'Acidium berberidis'.

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No summary available.

Encloses a supplementary paper for "Linnean Transactions"explaining the plates to his paper 'Observations on the British Species of Carex', does not intend for it to reflect badly on [James] Sowerby. Fears the letter sent from Bulstrode in January giving his opinion on Smith's "Tour" has miscarried; reiterates his enjoyment of them but expresses his concern that three or four passages will not meet with royal approval as "Kings and Queens love to read the praises of Kings and Queens". Surprised by Smith's "multifarious" reading, took several pages to be in the style of Dr [Andrew] Kippis [(1725-1795), nonconformist and biographer].

Correction of his Latin used in his description of 'Carex axillaris' [for his paper 'Observations on the British Species of Carex']. Unsure if he can see Smith at Kew on Wednesday. Further details of a letter previously sent but apparently lost. Sorry to hear that the Queen [Charlotte (1744-1818), wife of George III] has been so "[un]impressed" [by Smith's remarks on the French Queen, Marie Antoinette, in his "Sketch of a Tour on the Continent"]; "Kings & Queens naturally like to have the cause of Kings & Queens be praised". Another letter containing a draft for money has also been lost; informed that his postman is "drunk daily" but dares not have him turned out as he has eight children to feed. Promises Smith the lost letter did not contain any critique of his work, only pointed out passages for praise or those which might be taken amiss.