Apologises for delay in replying to Smith's letter of 27 April [1824]; sorry to hear of his severe indisposition, hopes to see Smith before Linnean Society's last meeting in June. Lists new members of Council. Balance in Treasurer's hands is £192, compared to last year's balance of £34 on the other side. Forty-two Fellows elected in the last year, greatest number in any one year. Informed by Solicitor General that he agrees with Attorney General that the Asiatic Society is entitled to a charter as applied for. Asks that Smith send a letter nominating his vice-presidents for the next year. He was in Scotland for 5 months last year.

Happy to hear Smith has recovered from his "long and severe indisposition". Asks of probability of Smith being in London before May. Asks after [Francis Leggatt] Chantrey's [(1781-1841), sculptor] bust of Smith. Bishop of Carlisle [Samuel Goodenough] in London, has had a slight attack of gout. [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert unwell after one of his dogs went mad and bit three of his servants. Asks if Smith has seen new their new volume ["Linnean Transactions" vol 13 issue 2], which is "very thin" for want of matter. Asks if they are ever to receive any paper from Smith.

Asks for duplicate plants, especially Australian.

Sending his book "Amoenitates Italicae" to the Linnean Society via a "kind English lady". Offers to send specimens of Italian plants if desired.

Thanks for turkey. Sir Abraham Hume has arrived in London from Brighton, following the King [George III (1738-1820)]. Much talk of [Robert] Sweet, [(1783-1835) botanist, was accused of receiving batch of plants stolen from Kew], trial is on the 18th [he was acquitted], [James] Colvill [(1777-1832) nurseryman who employed Sweet] very distressed. Mr Webb is considering taking [Mariano] Lagasca [y Segura] as an assistant. Pleased with progress of Smith's "Flora". Linnean Society membership growing fast. Last sheet of "Description of the genus Pinus" almost ready. [Charles Henry Bellenden] Ker [(c 1785-1871)] working in the Linnean Society library every day.

Sending a pamphlet. Engaged with W K Brown in promoting a subscription and a Committee in Norfolk for Greek independence, has succeeded in forming a Committee in Suffolk. Comments on varying levels of support received from political figures including [Sir John] Gladstone and [George] Canning. A controversy at Cambridge University between Heads of the Senate and Dr French and Professor Sedgwick. Asks whether an identification as to the language of the foreign words in the appendix to Dioscorides has been made. Remarks on [Johann Gottlob] Schneider's translation of Theophrastus and other works. Working on a translation of Schneider's Greek and German dictionary. Notes Samuel Parr's 77th birthday.

Recalls pleasure at gaining Smith's acquaintance at Cowes, [Isle of Wight], and sorrow at distance which prevents their meeting. Praises Smith's "English Flora" and his use of language, the 'Umbellate' plants "are surely now perfect". Passes on compliment from Mr P Duncan of New College, Oxford, on Smith's "Flora Britannica".

The work Smith is referring to is third edition of Candolle and Lamarck's "Flore Française" [(1815)]; corrects error in description of 'Rubus glandulosus'; uncertain if Smith's specimen is the same as their common plant; observations.

Pleased with Smith's work on 'Rubus'; observations on genus and species. Pleased that Smith could elucidate 'Potentilla'; obervations on genus and species. Showed the 'Rubus' proof to [James] Bicheno.

Settles accounts with Smith, including from Gurney and [John] Latham. Smith will have to reduce 'Tilia' to three species, as Bicheno has found 'T. grandifolia', 'T. parvifolia', and 'T. europaea' in Stokenchurch Woods, proving duplication of species has occured in other works, including Ray and Dillenius; observations. Discussion of 'Rubus rhamnifolius'; glad Smith found [Robert] Brown "so correct", he has just returned from his trip to Italy "much pleased". [Alexander] Macleay is returned from Caithness with his lame son, fears he will always be a "cripple".

[Note in Bicheno's hand] confirms Forster's account of his discovery of three 'Tilia' species in Stokenchurch Woods.

Thanks the "highly useful book", which will renew her knowledge of English botany [probably "English Flora"]; she will endeavour to give her protege, Miss Lawton, a taste for botany. Her aspiration after fame grows stronger in "the evening" of her life; determined to "attain celebrity" as a writer.

Thanks for "Flora Anglica". Making strong progress with "Hortus Malabaricus". Has given commentary on the first volume of the "Herbarium Amboinense" to the Wernerian Society in Edinburgh but doubtful whether it will appear. [William Jackson] Hooker is to compile detailed observations that are suited for neither commentaries and publish them in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal. Complains that Venlenat, [Augustin Pyramus] de Candolle, [Carl Sigismund] Kunth "and other Goths are overwhelming us with new orders", which he believes [Robert] Brown may be "aiding and abetting", and that they do not understand the difference between an order and a genus as established by Linnaeus.

Disappointed to be in England but unable to visit Smith in Norwich, for second time. Sent by the Emperor Alexander [I of Russia (1777-1825)] to obtain living plants for the St Petersburg Imperial Botanic Garden; brief history of the garden; he only has three months before expected back at St Petersburg. Encloses paper for Smith from Jussieu. Hopeful he can start work on a "Flora Russica"

Apologises for long delay since receiving Smith's letter from Professor [Josef August] Schultes. Has been unable to find the 'Tilia' requested by Smith as he is too ill to go to the Stokenchurch area and it is not present in the Oxford Botanic Garden and there are no full specimens in Oxford herbaria. Describes another failed attempt to acquire it. The Botanic Garden has a plant of Mr Whitehead's 'Aconitum' but it is now too mature for Smith to obtain any information from a specimen.

Engraving of a middle-aged Carl Linnaeus. Inscription in pencil on bottom of page: "given by Mr Brightwell 1826. Taken from a bust in the Royal Gardens in Stockholm by J M Johnson, 1824".

Reckons Smith amongst his "oldest and most valued friends"; about to marry; their new address, invites Smith to visit but hopes to see him in London before then; vouches for Smith's belief of botany as a "medium of communication with interesting and cultivated minds", it being instrumental in bringing him and his fiancée together. Recently called on [William] Roscoe who showed him "beautiful specimens" of his forthcoming work on 'Scitamineae'; believes Roscoe could have acquired more subscribers by making it more known.

Acknowledges on behalf of the Académie Royale des Sciences Smith's gift of the first two volumes of "The English Flora".

Observations on 'Cheiranthus cheiri'; requests Smith's opinion. Sending specimen of 'Cheiranthus fruticulosus', and of doubtful 'C. erysimoides', for identification.

Explains difficulties of making Smith an advance payment for his work on "Flora Graeca", principally being fear of Smith's death and its consequences for completion of the work. He and [Thomas] Platt [(d 1842), one of John Sibthorp's executors, supervised the publication of "Flora Graeca"] hope the work can be finished in the next few years by borrowing money from University of Oxford and limiting the number of copies made. Asks Smith to supply list of all of Sibthorp's provincial floras, taken from Sibthorp's journals. Executor of will of Mr Jones of Chelsea gives Smith permission to inspect the collections he had expressed an interest in.

Congratulates Smith on his return to health and goes on to praise Smith's "most valuable and learned works on botany", the women in his family are especially delighted with the "The English Flora" and Smith's "precision" compares favourably to the "vapid conversations and trite introductions to botany that have lately appeared". For the sake of women readers suggests that in his "Introduction to Botany" Smith accentuates the "peculiar" words so as to aid pronunciation.