Offers specimens for Smith and Banks; proposed establishment of a local Linnean Society; his correspondence with Linnaeus; desiderata.

Thanks for specimens; requires "Sparrmannia" to be engraved with Tournier's portrait of Sparrman; progress of his work.

Requests copy of Smith's "De Generatione". Does Smith know in what [Peter Simon] Pallas published about discovering the hearing organs of crayfish. Has translated [John] Hunter's "Memoir on the Digestion" [(1728-1793), surgeon], as well received as Hunter's "Animal economy" and work on venereal diseases. Plans to publish third, fourth, and fifth volumes of his own "Annotations Anatomiques" this year.

Still awaiting the works Smith sent, in addition requests transcription of [Johan Christian] Fabricius' 1783 memoir on the hearing of insects and tracings of the plates for his own work. Congratulations on establishment of Linnean Society, gratified by invitation to join. Highlights errors in [Lazzaro] Spallanzani's [(1729-1799), Italian physiologist] work on digestion by comparing it with [John] Hunter's [(1728-1793), surgeon] memoir on same. Chair of Chemistry and Botany at University of Pavia still vacant since death of [Giovanni Antonio] Scopoli.

[On separate folio] List of plant names, possibly in a different hand, no reference to this in the rest of the letter.

Thanks for the tracings from [Johan Christian] Fabricius' 1783 memoir on the hearing of insects; notes that Fabricus does not seem to have looked into the internal structure of the hearing organs of crayfish. Notes a dissertation by Mr Minasi titled "Dissertazione dei Timpanetti dell'udito scoperti nel Granchio Paguro" (1775) that may predate Fabricius' work. [Giovanni Antonio] Scopoli's successor at University of Pavia is Brusatti, previously Professor of Chemistry at the Theresian College in Vienna.

Translating Pulteney's work on Linnaeus and adding a supplement of vindication.

Thanks Smith for executing business commissions in London and gives instructions for further arrangements with Mr Elmesly, bookseller. Believes that it is only through Smith that the public can expect a good reprinting of the "Systema Vegatabilium". Requests "American seeds", will send seeds from the Alps in return.

Will send plants Smith has requested through Mr Malanotte, plus any other plants desired from "Flora Pedemontana", for a stated price. Prevented from publishing fascicules by conditions in the "Clinica", but with [Carlo] Allioni's consent will publish "Nomenclatura Stirpium Pedemontana", and asks Smith to check new plants against Linnaeus's herbarium. Requests rules of Linnean Society following his election as a correspondening member. Asks for a selection of exotic seeds for two amateur botanist friends of his, a complete series of lichens and seeds of 'Rheum rhabarbarum', 'Rheum palmatum', 'Rheum ribes', 'Rheum tataricum' and 'Rheum hybridum'. The Agrarian Society he is a member of has been appointed a Royal Society by the King. Has received the specimen of 'Lichen cucullatus' Smith found at Mont Cenis, Savoy, but believes it may be 'Lichen rivularis'.

Address of the merchant Smith is to send seeds to Turin through and additional request for seeds of 'Hedysarum gyrans'. Publishing a refutation of an attack by Dr Dalguiri.

Thanks Smith for seeds, some of which have been planted along with seeds Smith intended for [Giovanni Antonio] Scopoli before his death. Scopoli's third fasciculus has been published. A dissertation by Linnaeus published by Smith is being translated into Italian. Enjoyed reading Smith's inaugural [Linnean] dissertation. Collecting the plants on Smith's list and enquires if there are any more. [Carlo] Allioni and [Rodrigo de] Sousa [Coutinho] send their respects. A minor disagreement with Daquin has required Bellardi to add some botanical observations to "Flora Pedemontana". Sending seeds of 'Phalaris savilianensis' which he believes to be different from 'Phalaris phleoides'.

Has sent plants requested by Smith, list attached [third page]. Unable to send required number of specimens of 'Potentilla valderia' so has substituted them for 'Aldrovanda vesiculosa', otherwise there are 55 specimens per individual plant bar 20 specimens of 'Juncus spicatus'. Financial details. Will send flowers of 'Dryas octopetala' in the summer. Also sending a box of plants from [Carlo] Allioni and a box of rare plants from Bellardi which he would like Smith to compare along with the 'Arenariae' mentioned in last letter. Sends specimen and seeds of 'Panicum dactylon' and 'Poa gerardi' of "Flora Pedemontana" he believes may belong to the genus 'Festuca'. [Fulgenzio] Vitman's ["Summa plantarum"]. Asks Smith to send seeds for a friend. Wishes to be informed on Linnean Society news and would be happy to meet [Edmund] Davall.

"Sherardia foetida".

"Sida"; "Louichea"; Sibthorp; gratified at election as F.M.L.S.

Examining herbarium of La Billardière; has sent Banks a drawing of "Amaryllis undulata".

The Frazer collection; its value.

Has enquired with Dr [Richard] Beadon, master of Jesus College, Cambridge, about the possibility of Cambridge University Press printing Smith's new edition of "Philosophia Botanica", Smith is to write to Beadon with further details of the work. Slight concern that the Press may object to printing Smith's name and degree on the title page in case it gives the impression of sanctioning Smith's [Leiden] degree. Hinted that a "neat edition" of all Linneaus' works would be welcomed at the Press.

Encloses letter from Dr [Richard] Beadon [see RelatedMaterial below] discussing possibilities of Cambridge University Press publishing Smith's new edition of "Philosophia Botanica". Suggests Dawes, of Peterhouse, as a mediator if Smith is unwilling to make the printing request himself. The Press will not pay for the paper but will make an unspecified allowance, gives example of [Richard] Relhan receiving £50 for "Flora Cantabrigiensis".

Hoping to send some dubious plants for identification. Dedicating himself to botany and the 'Cryptogamia' class, will send a list of desiderata to Smith. Requests any species of 'Hypnum'. Offers to send following plants found around Paris: 'Lobelia urens', 'Sison verticillatum', 'Phalaris oryzoides', 'Spergula sagimoides', 'Sium repens-jacquini', 'Buxbaumia foliosa', 'Jungermania multifida', and several lichens, 'Bryums', and 'Jungermanias'.

Thanks for plants, particularly pleased with 'Juncus jacquini'; 'Juncus pedatus'; 'Dianthus alpinus'; and 'L. croceus'. Encloses his list of desiderata [extant]. Sends specimens of 'Orchis coriophora'; 'Lobelia urens'; a new lichen he names 'Lichen atrocuber'; a 'Boletus' described in Murray's "S N" as 'Botelus rugosus' of Jacquin and the 'Boletus demidiatus' of [Carl Peter] Thunberg; and 'Botelus aubliquatus' of [Jean Baptiste François Pierre] Bulliard [(1742-1793) botanist] (no.2293), details on its worldwide habitat. Also sends some dubious plants for identification, listed. Will send 'Sium repens'. Asks Smith to construct a list of French desiderata from [Thomas François] Dalibard's [(1709-1799) physicist and botanist] "Florae parisiensis prodromus".

Queries on nomenclature of several plants: is the blue monkshood the '[Aconitum] napellus' or '[Aconitum] cammarum'; is the common London tuft 'Dianthus barbatus' or '[Dianthus] carthusianorum'; asks for the name of the plant he encloses [not extant].

Smith has annotated his responses in the margin, confirming 'Acontium napellus', 'Dianthus barbatus' and has sent 'Dianthus carthusianorum', and Rose's specimen is 'Melaleuca scoparia'.