[Charles Louis] L'Héritier [de Brutelle] is still in England, amusement at his behaviour. Cautions Smith against showing Linnaeus's herbarium to L'Héritier as he will try to find, and publish, faults and lower its value, "which ought not to be as it must be the real standard to prove the meaning of Old Linnaeus's works". Thinking of bringing forward publication of William Aiton's catalogue of "the garden" [Kew] to preempt possibility of L'Héritier not acknowledging them in his own work. Queen Charlotte's botany lessons with Aiton. The ship being sent to bring the breadfruit to the West Indies will bring many plants from there. Comments on the gardens at St Vincent's and Bengal and hopes for another to be established soon in Madras. Remarks that [Olof] Swartz is the best botanist he has seen since Solander and hopes to have him supply König's place in India [Johann Gerhard Koenig (1728-1785) German botanist].
Separate note requesting Smith to bring seed of 'Racine de disette'.