Boston

(bos'ton,) a city and seaport of Ma achusetts, C. of the State, and forming, with its suburb Chelsea, the co. of Suffolk, is the metropolis of New England, and one of the chief commercial cities of the Union. It is picturesquely situate on a peninsula at the head of Ma achusetts Bay, connects with the mainland by an isthmus called Boston Neck, and lies in 42° 21′ 24″ Ν. Lat., Lon. 71° 3′ 58″ W.; 207 m. N.E. of New York. B. may be said to comprise within its limits the environ. ing cities and towns of Chelsea, Cambridge, Charles town, Brook line, Somerville, Roxbury, . It has a splendid harbor, almost entirely landlocked, defended by forts, and furnished with a lighthouse at its outer entrance. B. po e es many noble edifices, and is generally well built, though the streets of the more ancient part are somewhat crooked and narrow. From its prominent position in the world of letters, B. has been termed the " Athens" of America. It has numerous educational, literary, and philanthropic institutions, and owns the largest public library in the U. States. Her foreign commerce is very extensive, enabling her to rank as the second port in the Union. B. was founded by the early colonists of New England, abt. 1622-24, and, in 1651, was described as a flourishing place. The resistance to English taxation was initiated here in 1774, and B. shared to a great extent in the ensuing war. It was evacuated by the British in 1776, and in 1822 was declared a city. In 1872, 776 buildings were destroyed by fire, valued at$13,500,000. Pop. (1870) 250,526; (1877) 351,247, increased, by incorporation of contiguous towns in 1874, by 117,000.- A bor. and port of England, co. Lincoln. It has a magnificent Gothic church, built in 1309. Pop. 13,000.-(Games.) A complex game played by 4 persons with 2 packs of cards; these are never shuffled; one of the packs is dealt, and the other cut alternately to determine the trump. which governs the game:- its name is said to have been given to it by Benj. Franklin, in honor of his native city. [s. 108]