Received Smith's letter of 10 August from Mr Bauer. Congratulates Smith on knighthood, hopes he will succeed with his campaign for the Cambridge professorship, would be happy to then start an annual exchange of seeds. Sent a box of seeds to [James] Donn [(1758-1813)] last year being unaware of his death. His daughter married [Carl Franz Anton von] Schreibers three years ago, has just given birth to her second child. In continuation of the exchange of their botanical works [including Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin] lists books he shall send in itemised bill: "Hortus Schoenbrunnensis vol 4"; "Fragmenta botanica compleat"; "Genitalia asclepiadearum"; "Eclogae plantarum rariorum fasc. 1-8"; and "Graminum fasc 1 & 2". Requests Smith's publications mentioned in his last letter bar "Tour to Hafod" and "Flora Graeca", for which he will wait but including "Introduction to Botany" and "Prodromus Flora Graecae". Confirms that his father sent Smith "Icones plantarum" and "Collectanea [ad botanicum]" in 1797. Sorry to hear that botany is not as "generally beloved and fashionable in England" and botanical works do not sell as well as before. Asks Smith to procure customers for his "Eclogae". [Nicolaus Thomas] Host [(1771-1834)] is about to publish his monographia "of the European Salix", followed by new edition of "Synopsis plantarum austriae", assumes Smith has his "Gramina austrica".
Son of Head Gardener of Vienna University Botanic Garden, [Heinrich Wilhelm] Schott [(1794-1865)], is writing monograph on 'Silene' [not published], asks Smith to send any duplicate specimens of Oriental or American species and any remarks or specimens on 'Silene anglica'; 'Silene cerastoides'; 'Silene gallica'; 'Silene armeria'; 'Silene mutabilis'; 'Silene cranifolia'; 'Silene aegyptiaca'; and 'Cucubalus fabarius', in return shall send Austrian and Hungarian plants as desired, asks if "Flora Graeca" volume containing 'Silene' shall be published soon. Compliments Smith on his contributions to [Abraham] Rees' "Cyclopedia". [Joseph August] Schultes and [Johann Jacob] Roemer are publishing a new edition of "Systema Vegetabilium", believes Smith would do a better job, surprised he has not done so already. Professor [Balsazar] Hacquet [(1739-1815)], author of "Plantae Alpinae Carniolicae" and "Oryctographia carniolicae" died in Vienna a few days ago.