Praises Gaetner's book [De fructibus et seminibus plantarum (1788-1805)], but feels "somewhat repugnant" to any attempt of forming a system on his principles. Thanks for attempts of Smith and others for their praise of his book ["Sketches of the progress of botany" (1790)] but concedes it will be of interest only to curiosity of young botanists and men of general reading.
Requests remainder of L'Héritier's works as they appear in Britain though fears revolutions and politics of France will hinder the author. Requests copy of Gmelin's edition of "Systema naturae". Hopes [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert is not idle in Ireland. Surprised that [John] Lightfoot and others should have missed so many Scottish plants now published by [James] Dickson in his second fasciculus [of "Plantarum cryptogamicarum Britanniae" (1785-1801)]. Dr Patrick Browne has given Lambert a manuscript on Jamaican plants, suspects it is of little worth. Apologises for corresponding with Smith on "such unequal terms".