a corporation town of Lincolnshire in England, which sends two members to parliament. It is commodiously seated on both sides the river Witham, over which it has a handsome high wooden bridge; and, being near the sea, enjoys a good trade. It has a spacious market place, and the largest parish church without cross aisles in Europe, the steeple of which serves for a land-mark to sailors. Boston is a barony in the Irby family. The population in 1811 was 8113. E. Long. 5° 15'. N. Lat. 53° 3'.

capital of the state of Massachusetts, and of New England, in North America, built in 1630, in a peninsula of about four miles in circumference, at the bottom of Massachusetts bay, in a very convenient situation for trade. The town stands in W. Long. 71° 5'. N. Lat. 42° 24', about nine miles from the mouth of the bay. At the entrance of this bay are several small rocks which appear above water, and a number of small islands, some of which are inhabited. There is but one safe channel to approach the harbour, and that so narrow, that two ships can hardly sail through abreast; but within the harbour there is room for 500 sail to lie at anchor in a good depth of water. On one of the islands stands a fort. At the bottom of the bay is a noble pier near 2000 feet in length; along which on the north side extends a row of warehouses for the merchants; and to this pier ships of the greatest burden may come and unload without the help of boats. The greatest part of the town lies round the harbour in the form of a half-moon, the country beyond it rising gradually and affording a delightful prospect. The neck of land which joins the peninsula to the continent is but 40 yards over. Boston contained about 40,000 inhabitants in 1817; and the tonnage of the vessels belonging to it in 1815, amounted to 137,008 tons, which is greater than that of any other American port, except New York. The merchants are remarkably active and enterprising, and the inhabitants in general bear the character of being well-informed, sober, and industrious, but sharp and overreaching. The austerity of the old Puritans is less relaxed here than in any of the other large towns in America. Boston is the headquarters of federalism, or rather of aristocracy, in politics, and of unitarianism in religion. Though professing republicanism, they are ridiculously vain of those titles which are still retained. The Independents are the prevailing religious sect, and have twelve churches here. There are besides three Baptist churches, two Episcopalians, one Quaker, one Universalist, one Catholic, and two Methodist. Besides the churches, the principal buildings are the statehouse, courthouse, two theatres, concert-hall, jail, almshouse, workhouse, and bridewell. The town is well paved, and has excellent flagged footpaths. The streets, though generally narrow, are for the most part clean, and in good order. Boston is connected with the minor towns of Cambridge and Charlestown, by two handsome wooden bridges, the one 1503 feet in length, the other 3483 feet. Boston has frequently suffered by fire, but the houses that were thus destroyed have always been rebuilt to advantage. The late American war began here by the attack at Bunkers-hill, when many brave men lost their lives.