Did Samuel Johnson wrote periodical essays in numerous newspapers?

Samuel Johnson did not write periodical essays in numerous newspapers. He did, however, write for a number of periodicals, including:

* The Gentleman's Magazine: He was a major contributor here, writing essays, reviews, and biographies.

* The Rambler: He founded and wrote for this influential periodical himself, publishing over 200 essays under the pseudonym "R."

* The Adventurer: He contributed essays here as well, though it was primarily written by his friend, Edward Cave.

* The Idler: Johnson founded and wrote for this periodical, similar to The Rambler.

So, while he was a prolific writer for periodicals, he was more focused on a few key publications rather than numerous newspapers.