Thathissufferingsuponthedeathofhiswifeweresevere，beyondwhatarecommonlyendured，Ihavenodoubt，fromtheinformationofmanywhowerethenabouthim，tononeofwhomIgivemorecreditthantoMr。FrancisBarber，hisfaithfulnegroservant，whocameintohisfamilyaboutafortnightafterthedismalevent。Thesesufferingswereaggravatedbythemelancholyinherentinhisconstitution；andalthoughheprobablywasnotoftenerinthewrongthanshewas，inthelittledisagreementswhichsometimestroubledhismarriedstate，duringwhich，heownedtome，thatthegloomyirritabilityofhisexistencewasmorepainfultohimthanever，hemightverynaturally，afterherdeath，betenderlydisposedtochargehimselfwithslightomissionsandoffences，thesenseofwhichwouldgivehimmuchuneasiness。Accordinglywefind，aboutayearafterherdecease，thathethusaddressedtheSupremeBeing：
’OLORD，whogivestthegraceofrepentance，andhearesttheprayersofthepenitent，grantthatbytruecontritionImayobtainforgivenessofallthesinscommitted，andofalldutiesneglectedinmyunionwiththewifewhomthouhasttakenfromme；fortheneglectofjointdevotion，patientexhortation，andmildinstruction。’Thekindnessofhisheart，notwithstandingtheimpetuosityofhistemper，iswellknowntohisfriends；andI
cannottracethesmallestfoundationforthefollowingdarkanduncharitableassertionbySirJohnHawkins：’Theapparitionofhisdepartedwifewasaltogetheroftheterrifickkind，andhardlyaffordedhimahopethatshewasinastateofhappiness。’Thathe，inconformitywiththeopinionofmanyofthemostable，learned，andpiousChristiansinallages，supposedthattherewasamiddlestateafterdeath，previoustothetimeatwhichdepartedsoulsarefinallyreceivedtoeternalfelicity，appears，Ithink，unquestionablyfromhisdevotions：’And，OLORD，sofarasitmaybelawfulinme，Icommendtothyfatherlygoodnessthesoulofmydepartedwife；beseechingtheetograntherwhateverisbestinherpresentstate，andfinallytoreceivehertoeternalhappiness。’
Butthisstatehasnotbeenlookeduponwithhorrour，butonlyaslessgracious。
HedepositedtheremainsofMrs。JohnsoninthechurchofBromley，inKent，towhichhewasprobablyledbytheresidenceofhisfriendHawkesworthatthatplace。Thefuneralsermonwhichhecomposedforher，whichwasneverpreached，buthavingbeengiventoDr。Taylor，hasbeenpublishedsincehisdeath，isaperformanceofuncommonexcellence，andfullofrationalandpiouscomforttosuchasaredepressedbythatsevereafflictionwhichJohnsonfeltwhenhewroteit。Whenitisconsideredthatitwaswritteninsuchanagitationofmind，andintheshortintervalbetweenherdeathandburial，itcannotbereadwithoutwonder。