Pleased to hear of Smith's recovery; hopes he enjoys a leisurely stay in Norwich, [Norfolk]; believes the solitariness and bad weather on his first arrival in Matlock brought on attack on his lungs. Bad summer in Suffolk, with a short crop that is causing talk of extravagant prices in the winter. Knows Cromford Moor well but unaware of lichens the last time he was there. Struggled to find fly orchids this year but there are luxuriant bee orchids.
Admired Dr [Erasmus] Darwin's last publication of his "elegant poem", further opinions; visited him in 1781; he and Sir Brooke Boothby [7th baronet, (1744-1824), poet and writer] will be "capital additions" to Linnean Society. Favell mutually pleased with Smith. Has specimen of 'Ornithogalum' for Smith but it does not appear to be 'O. pyrenaicum' or 'O. umbellatum'. Encloses single flower from plant in Sir John Rous' [1st Earl of Stradbroke (1750-1827), politician] garden grown from East India seed, labelled 'Abrus' but evidentally a mistake; observations.
Asks if White has the letterpress to Bulliard's "Histoire des champignons"; has still not received the remaining plates from L'Héritier. Understands Smith is to return to Frogmore to continue work on [John] Lightfoot's herbarium, now the Queen's [Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818)].