30 JOHNSON. 



equal to his means of rewarding them. It has also been 

 observed as a proof of his national prejudices being 

 capable of mitigation, that five of the six were Scotch- 

 men. Of the money which he received for this work 

 nearly the whole was anticipated, being received and 

 spent for his support while the composition of the book 

 was going on. 



During the laborious period of his life which we have 

 been surveying, he had sustained two losses which deeply 

 affected him, by his mother's death in 1 759, of which 

 I have spoken, and his wife's in 1752, an affliction which 

 deeply impressed itself on his mind. He was not only 

 entirely overwhelmed with grief at the moment of her 

 decease, but continued ever after to mourn for her, and 

 to pray for her soul, which he appears to have thought 

 destined to a middle state of existence before its ever- 

 lasting rest, although he always put his supplication 

 doubtfully or conditionally. After this loss he received 

 into his lodgings Miss Williams, a maiden lady, daughter 

 of a Welsh physician, who had left her in poor circum- 

 stances ; and she afterwards became blind. She was a 

 person of excellent understanding and considerable in- 

 formation, but of a peevish temper, which he patiently 

 bore, partly because her constant society was a resource 

 against his melancholy tone of mind, and partly because 

 he really had a compassionate disposition. He could 

 only afford to give her lodging, she finding out of her 

 scanty means her own subsistence, which he occasionally 

 aided by gifts. She died a year before his own decease. 

 Mrs. Desmoulines was the daughter of his godfather, 

 Dr. Swinfen, and widow of a writing-master ; her, too, 

 Johnson received for many years in his house with her 



