Note by Davall letter received 31 [May 1793]. Resonds to Davall's letter of 5 April 1793: congratulations on birth of son; grieved by state of Davall's health, approves of taking 'Cinchona' and recommends red port wine for costiveness.
Success of his lectures: zoological had seventeen subscribers and botanical twenty-four, including eight or nine ladies "of distinguished rank & elegance", they are beginning to be celebrated so another year would be better attended, and enjoys delivering them. His publications are bringing him some money. His "Sketch of a Tour on the Continent" now printing after having held it back from diffidence and fear of altercations for "I must & will shew myself the friend of truth & humanity".
Receiving good things from François [Borone] in Sierra Leone, he proposes to return next December. Reports on Mr Este, who is very friendly and came to his lectures, believes he was distressed and ill used by Captain Topham and went abroad, but now editor of "The Courier", "a very democratic paper, but a very clever one", and he is going to Pavia soon. If he earns enough money and the political situation is quiet hopes to take a trip on the continent, but would contemplate going with a young man as a "bear-leader" to Italy.
"English Botany" after no.24 is being enlarged to six plates monthly and charge to half a crown. Justifies making a profit by the trouble it gives and inclusion of original material. Nearly 900 are sold and last month owned it as his in the "Gentleman's Magazine". Davall's accounts with [James] Sowerby and [James] Dickson, asks if he wants Dickson's "Hotus siccus Britannicus". Pleased Davall now has Dillenius' ["Historia muscorum"] though despairs of finding him [Paulo] Boccone's [(1633-1704) "Museo di piante rare" (1697)]. 'Celsia linearis' Jacq now common in gardens, it is 'Hemimeris'. There are only fifty copies of [Richard] Salisbury's "Macaroni" book, as [Jonas] Dryander calls it [probably "Icones stirpium rariorum" (1791)] but catalogue of his garden will do him much honour ["Prodromus stirpium in Horto ad Chapel Allerton vigentium" (1796)]. No news of Duchess of Devonshire [Georgiana Cavendish (1757-1806)] yet.
[Note in Davall's hand] "wrote in haste 4 June about sending me "English Botany" &c.".