is a very harmless doctrine. They are of opinion, that the generality of
mankind are neither so obstinately wicked, as to deserve everlasting
punishment; nor so good as to merit being admitted into the society of
blessed spirits; and, therefore, that God is graciously pleased to allow
a middle state, where they may be purified by certain degrees of
suffering. You see there is nothing unreasonable in this; and if it be
once established, that there are souls in purgatory, it is as proper to
pray for them, as for our brethren of mankind, who are yet in this
life." This was Dr. Johnson's guess into futurity; and to guess is the
utmost that man can do:

"Shadows, clouds, and darkness, rest upon it."

Mrs. Johnson left a daughter, Lucy Porter, by her first husband. She had
contracted a friendship with Mrs. Anne Williams, the daughter of Zachary
Williams, a physician of eminence in South Wales, who had devoted more
than thirty years of a long life to the study of the longitude, and was
thought to have made great advances towards that important discovery.
His letters to lord Halifax, and the lords of the admiralty, partly
corrected and partly written by Dr. Johnson, are still extant in the
hands of Mr. Nichols[q]. We there find Dr. Williams, in the eighty-third
year of his age, stating, that he had prepared an instrument, which
might be called an epitome or miniature of the terraqueous globe,
showing, with the assistance of tables, constructed by himself, the
variations of the magnetic needle, and ascertaining the longitude, for
the safety of navigation. It appears that this scheme had been referred
to sir Isaac Newton; but that great philosopher excusing himself on
account of his advanced age, all applications were useless, till 1751,
when the subject was referred, by order of lord Anson, to Dr. Bradley,
the celebrated professor of astronomy. His report was unfavourable[r],