Letter received by Banks from James Edward Smith, 12 February1805 (Series 72.174) - No. 0002

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you intend to add "from the notes of the author."  On this occasion it would be well to consult Sir J. Banks." 

          Thus my dear Sir I am on both hands referred to you, & it is just what I wished.  You are of all people best skilled in every part of the question.  Mr. Platt is commendably watchful that I should not encroach on the fame of our deceased friend, & I trust you will not think I mean to do so.  You know that every word of the characters & descriptions is mine, & that every synonym is of my looking out, except those of Tournefort, which Sibthorp had indeed collected, but I have gone over every one, & corrected a vast number.  The determination of the names, & all the remarks are written by me, partly indeed (but not a quarter of them) from his notes & journals.  These you see I do not claim at all.  I would certainly claim too little rather than too much, for I do not want to plume myself with poor Sibthorp's feathers.  It is right