Sending this letter via Mr Haldimand, son of General [Sir Frederick] Haldimand [(1718-1791)]. Hopes Smith received seed of 'Cerinthe perennis', which he also sent last year with 'Lactuca angustana', and parcel of plants sent via Flaction. Received first volume of "Linnean Transactions": assumes that in a few years the Linnean Society will have corrected the false synonyms of the Linnaean and other plants and provided more ample descriptions. Smith "by far the properest man" to be Linnaeus' successor. Received Smith's parcel of plants from Mandrot, including "inestimable" 'Arenaria saxatilis'. His wife pregnant. His aunts' card playing habits.
At Basel went over [Werner de] Lachenal's [(1736-1800)] herbarium: it includes plants from [Caspar] Bauhin's [(1560-1624)] herbarium, bought for 7 guineas; not rich in Swiss plants and Lachenal is not deeply learned, his speciality being books and editions; his best studies are of the umbelliferae; had 'Schoenus ferrugineus' as a variety of 'Schoenus nigricans'; many dried exotic specimens from garden of Utrecht; his garden stock from Jacquin; acquired seeds of 'Minuartia' from Lachenal, originally procured of [Carl Christian] Gmelin [(1762-1837)] now director of botanic garden at Carlsruh, [Lower Saxony], sending Smith some for a good figure to be made. Accidently read part of a letter and its corresponding part from [Joseph von] Jacquin to [Nikolaus von] Jacquin, "full of the grossest & most humble flattery".
Will send plants for François [Borone, Smith's servant] when he next sends a parcel. Finding it difficult to limit his work to found wild specimens as to understand them necessary to compare them against species with near affinity throughout Europe. Disappointed by parcel of specimens received from [Dominique] Villars and is proposing to exchange books for specimens instead of money; sending "Hortus Kewensis" and Smith's "Plantarum icones". Received small parcel of badly dried specimens from [Carlo] Bellardi, including 'Arenaria liniflora' and a 'Festuca spadicea' the same as Smith's in "Linnean Transactions", also received seeds of it 'Andropogon distachyum' from [Carlo] Allioni. Would like to grow 'Andropogon gryllus' in his garden. Reminds Smith that lichens 46 and 48 from box of lichens [sent 30 April 1791] are still undetermined, thinks 47 is Smith's 'Saxifragus'. Presumes Smith informed Villars that his 'Arenaria saxatilis' is 'Arenaria laricifolia'.
Displeased by Lachenal's insistence that as 'Arenaria verna' is often taken for 'A. saxatilis' then 'saxatilis' should be continued, and same with 'Lepidium graminifolium', maintaining it is 'Iberis'. Intends to concentrate on his "Illustr. Fl. Helv." this winter. First snow of winter arrived earlier than expected on 1 November; anxious for his potted plants. Sending Smith seeds via Haldimand, including three never grown in England, so they can be figured in "Spicilegium botanicum": 'Arenaria grandiflora' L, 'Turritis caerulea' Allioni "Fl. Ped." includes growing details and instructions, 'Scutellaria alpina' ,'Iberis rotundifolia', 'Minuartia', and 'Silene -'. Hopes [Nikolaus von] Jacquin will not be the first to give coloured figure of 'Arenaria grandiflora'. Offers Smith exclusivity on seeds of new Swiss plants until he has figured it.
Proposes scheme for Linnean Society members to fund drawing, engraving, and colouring of at least one plant a year to increase provision of good figures of new, obscure, or misconceived species.