Had never seen 'Hypnum recognitum' before and thinks it a rarity. Despairs at the Royal Society presidency contest: unsure why Davies Gilbert withdrew after previously indicating he would be willing to devote £10,000 a year to it, suspects his wife; [Edward St Maur, 11th] Duke of Somerset [(1775-1855)] not acceptable to the "valuable part of the Society"; Sir Humphry Davy the most eligible candidate; unaware that [William Hyde] Wollaston [(1766-1828), chemist and physicist] had withdrawn.
Glad that septuagenarians have been excused from the royal divorce case in the House of Lords, but sure that Bishop [Samuel] Horsley [(1733-1806) of St Asaph, Denbighshire] would have called for full attendance of bishops. The Queen's [Caroline (1768-1821), wife of George IV] responses to the addresses, as reported in the press, are "shocking & inflammatory", and agrees with Smith that if she has "rope enough given her, she will do her own business". Surprised to hear of Sir Joseph Banks' £4000 debt to Sir Everard Home [(1756-1832), physician] as Banks' estates are worth £24,500 per annum. Duke of Marlborough [George Spencer-Churchill] and Bishop of Durham [Shute Barrington] now the only remaining Honorary Members of Linnean Society. The new Dean of Carlisle [Robert Hodgson] enthusiastic natural historian but fears he will not find a companion as "there is no gain in it".