Introduces Mme. Solvyus; botany of Egypt.

[William] Bullock [(c 1773-1849), naturalist and antiquary] elected to Linnean Society by majority of 21 votes, in spite of [William Elford] Leach's efforts to blackball him, for which he was reprimanded by the Chair; Smith mistaken in involvement of [Edward] Donovan [(1768-1837), zoologist], who tried to persuade Leach against such a course.

Laments death of [Jonas] Dryander; [Robert] Brown has succeeded him at Soho Square [as Sir Joseph Banks' librarian]; asks for Smith's suggestions for filling the vice-president position. Asks if it is essential for [William Jackson] Hooker's 'Andraea' paper to appear in present volume of "Linnean Transactions".

[Thomas] Marsham agrees with Smith that [John] Symmons is the "fittest man" for Linnean Society's new vice-president, but he [Macleay] is sorry "none more fit can be found"; Symmons has scarcely attended for several years and "his object in attending since the death of poor Dryander is too evident to require any notice", but he cannot think of any better candidate, considering Lord Valentia's [George Annesley] absences; concerned Symmons will not be agreeable to the other vice-presidents.

Found JH's resolution of a biquadratic ingenious. AR used René Descartes's method of resolution, but found it less elegant. Discusses resolution of higher order quadratics.

Sends seeds.

Thanks for Australian plants; La Billardiere; working on new ed. of the "Genera"; requests information of new genera published in England.

"Sarum Knight" and "Knight Sarum" [Richard Salisbury and Joseph Knight (c 1777-1855), gardener for George Hibbert (1757-1837, merchant] "do not quite agree in their tales" [regarding Salisbury's publication of Robert Brown's names for 'Proteacea' under Knight's name, see RelatedMaterial]. Will send specimens of 'Aegiphyla' and lemongrass. Has or will see [Samuel Goodenough], Sir Abraham Hume, Sir Richard Hoare, and [Robert] Brown. Smith to send specimens of 'Typha minor' and 'Phlomis lunarifolia'. Offers to send specimens of 'Phlomis samia' and the "Cliffortium" plant. [Edward Daniel] Clarke's "Travels" about to be published, he has given the 500 species of plants to Lambert.

Specimens and seeds for Lambert, Smith, [Robert] Brown, and Liverpool Botanic Garden from [William] Roxburgh. Received letter from Francis Buchanan just returned from two year absence to Calcutta, India. Received specimens from Nevis from [James Webbe] Tobin [(d 1814)] including 'Sophora [...]sperma' in flower. Met Lord Grenville [William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville (1759-1834)] at Whiteknights [home of George Spencer-Churchill, Marquess of Blandford] who is creating large collection of plants and arboretum of pines. Lord and Lady Essex, Countess Brühl, and Sir Walter Scott were also in attendance. Blandford has spent £7000 on his garden in last three years including £3000 on hardy shrubs. Describes a 'Convolvulus' at Englefield, Berkshire, bearing thousands of flowers, sent specimen to Soho Square [home of Sir Joseph Banks], "they know nothing of plants". Describes an 'Anneslea' of Roxburgh's in White Knights aquarium. Has found amongst [Edward Daniel] Clarke's Egyptian specimens 'Mimosa lebbeck', believes it is 'Mimosa speciosa'. Mr Baker intends to buy Sudley [Sudeley] Castle Estate, Gloucestershire.

No summary available.

Forwards a parcel of specimens from [George] Don, who is "as enthusiastic & indefatigable as ever".

Has not received the letter or package Smith sent last year. Sending copy of his recently published book with Ortolani, "Statistica generale di Sicilia", and will send his "Indice d'ittiologia siciliana" once it is published. Corrects errors in the plants he sent with a previous letter: his 'Saxifraga tenella' appears to be 'Saxifraga hederacea' L.; his 'Orabanche rubia' perhaps a variety of 'O. fetida' Desf.; his 'Arum autumnalis' variety of 'Arum augustifolium' L.; his 'Hippocrepis biflora' variety of 'Hippocrepis [multisiliquosa]' L.; his 'Scabiosa sessiliflora' same as 'Scabiosa dichotoma' of Bernardino D'Ucria and 'Scabiosa parviflora' of [René Louiche] Desfontaines. Query on stigma of 'Cistus'.

Asks for the botanical news since 1805 and whether [Carl Ludwig] Willdenow's "Species Plantarum", [Christiaan Hendrik] Persoon's "Synopsis", and "L'Encyclopedie Methodique" are complete and available in England, following interruption of Sicily's communications with the rest of Europe. Requests copy of Smith's "Prodromus flora Graeca". Requests characters of all new plant genera described since 1805, lists the genera he knows only by name and gives an example of the format he would like them in [Smith has annotated in margin: "sent my paper from ann. of Bot."]. The genera are for his "great work", the aim of which is to apply a simple and uniform method to all plant genera in a similar manner as the classfifcation of animals in zoology.

Informs and consigns to Smith the description and drawings of the Malabar 'Cardamomum minus' he had made three years ago, including account of its cultivation. James Anderson of Madras had intended for it to be published in Asiatik Researches but the "commotions" which occupied the governor [Sir George Hilario Barlow, 1st Baronet (1762-1847), Governor-General of India, 1805-1807] during the latter months of his administration prevented its publication.

Apologises for delay in sending Smith the information he requested in his last letter. Transcribes character of 'Ulva plantanginea' ('Tremella marina' of Dillenius) from [Albrecht Wilhelm] Roth's "Catalecta botanica", observations on description.

Has written to [Lewis Weston] Dillwyn [(1778-1855), naturalist] on subject of 'Ulva turneri' being published in "English botany", as Dillwyn had intended to publish it in "Linnean Transactions"; thinks it satisfactorily distinct from 'U. fistulosa', and thinks same of Miss Hutchin's 'U. ramulosa' and branched varities of 'U. compressa'; observations. Has never had 'Conferva fibrata' in fruit, and neither drawings nor specimens of 'C. radicans', having given all he had to Dillwyn when he published his "Synopsis".

Encloses a 'Conferva' just received from [William Jackson] Hooker. Pleased that Smith obtained [Heinrich Adolph] Schrader's "Flora [Germanica]" and has good opinion of it; hopes it and [Daniel Matthias Heinrich] Mohr's [(1780-1808), botanist] "cryptogamic flora" will be finished. Has requested [William] Borrer's first genera of 'Lichen' for comparison against Smith's, hopes Borrer will finish and publish without waiting for remaining genera.

Returns Linnaean 'Fucus' specimens.

Sends parcel from [George] Don. Error with Smith's new species 'Hieracium prenanthoides' in "English botany", confusion with 'H. denticulatum'; discusses in detail.

Introduces Baron Ch[ristian] von Vietinghoff, who wishes to become FMLS. He has created a catalogue of the plants of the Moscow Botanic Garden; had diploma of their Moscow Society sent to Smith some time ago; planning a new edition of his "Flora Germaniae", requests most recent issues of "English botany".

Numbered observations on enclosed specimens: 1. a 'Conferva'; 2. a 'Splachnum', possibly 'S. fastigiatum'; 3. a 'Byssus' or 'Bryum'; 4. possible variety of 'Bryum turbinatum'; 5. possible 'Bryum annotinum'; 6. 'Dicranum undulatum'; 7. a 'Dicranum' not 'D. longifolium'; 8. a 'Dicranum' either 'D. rigidulum' or 'D. varens'; 9. a 'Dicranum' distinct from 'D. rigidulum' or 'D. varens'; 10. a 'Dicranum'; 11. a 'Hypnum'; 12. a 'Hypnum'; 13. a 'Hypnum'; 14. a 'Lichen'; 15. a 'Lichen'; 16. a 'Lichen'; 17. a 'Lichen'; 18. a 'Lichen'; 19. a 'Lichen'; 20. a 'Lichen'; 21. a 'Lichen'; 22. a 'Hypnum'. Asks after items and specimens sent to [James] Sowerby and [Charles] Lyell. Asks Goodenough to forward this letter to Dr [James Edward] Smith.

Just received Goodenough's letter about 'Avena alpina' and 'Arundo neglecta'; response. Would like to buy Schrader's "Flora Germanica". Observations on Goodenough's remarks on 'Hieracium' and 'Galium', confident he has all the nondescript and new ones described in "Flora Britannica". Thanks for seeds. Goodenough mistaken about 'Chironia' and 'Exacum'; observations. Has grown 'Pinguicula vulgaris', observations. Found 'Chironia centaurium', observed that it takes two seasons to vegetate.

Observations on enclosed specimens: 1-6. specimens of a 'Lichen' in every state of growth possible; further discussion of cryptogams.

Thanks for parcel of seeds. Numbered observations on enclosed plants, locally found: 1. 'Ribes'; 2. 'Orthotrichum affine'; 3. 'Polytrichum'; 4. 'Hypnum'; 5. 'Bryum' like 'B. caespititium', 'B. capillare', and 'B. bicolor'; 6. 'Equisetum' like 'E. variegatum'.

Will look for the new 'Saxifraga', which Smith intends to name 'S. pedunculodes'. Observations on 'Fassilago hybrida'. Asks if Smith received specimen of 'Urceolorea diamarta'. Observations on 'Primula denticulata' in Smith's "Exotic botany" and other exotic plants, lists those in his possession; asks if Smith can facilitate an exchange with [John] Shepherd [(c 1764-1836, curator Liverpool Botanic Garden] when next in Liverpool, lists his desiderata.

Numbered observations on enclosed plants, gathered on trip to Angushire coast in summer of 1809: 1. 'Dactylis glauca', differences between it and 'D. glomerata'; 2. 'Festuca glauca'; 3. 'Aira'; 4. 'Poa' possibly 'P. bulbosa'; 5. 'Poa procumbens' first time found in Scotland; 6. 'Poa' possible variety of 'P. pratensis', proposes name 'P. pubescens'; 7. new 'Poa' proposes name 'P. depaupirata'.

Asks Goodenough to forward this letter to Dr [James Edward] Smith.

Numbered observations on enclosed grasses: 1. 'Poa glauca'; 2. a 'Poa' distinct from 'P. glauca' and 'P. gromerata'; 3. a 'Poa' like no.2 but in a different colour; 4. 'Poa' like 'P. memoralis', hopes Schrader's "Flora Germanica" will throw light on it, impatient to hear from Goodenough on that matter; 5. 'Avena' [Goodenough annotation: proposes name 'A. distans']; 6. 'Festuca' like 'F. casia' [Smith annotation: "'rubra'? not near 'casia'"]; 7. 'Poa' possible variety of 'P. pratensis'; has a new 'Rosa' like 'R. involuta' [Smith annotation: "does it differ from 'remota'?"]; 8. 'Carex' possibly 'C. straminea' of Willdenow.

He has 2 varities of 'Chaerophyllum aureum'; observations on plants growing on them. Two different species of 'Rosa spinosissima', one of which would answer to name 'R. glauca'. After further examination convinced the 'Glechoma' he previously sent is a species.

Asks Goodenough to forward this letter to Dr [James Edward] Smith.