Traill agrees with Rathbone in lamenting the decline of Liverpool society 'since the days of Roscoe and Currie'. He is shocked at the failure of [the business of] Fletcher and Roscoe but has high hopes of the Liverpool Literary and Philosophical Society.

Traill has revisited his native Orkney and describes in detail his work there on geology and fossil fishes. He is sure he has found the grave of the Maid of Norway in Kirkwall. Traill has acquired the MSS of the Reverend G Low, 'the Orkney naturalist'.

The letter also includes personal news and inter-family greetings.