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BOSTON 127 restoration, but Charles II. was not proclaimed there until 14 months after his arrival at Lon- don. Down to the date of the English revolu- tion there was a constant antagonism, some- times fierce in its manifestation, between the colony and the royal government, and it was most intensely felt in Boston. A description of Boston in 1671 shows that the town had much increased in numbers and wealth. The streets were large, and many of them paved with pebble stones. The buildings were fair and handsome, some being of stone, and one is mentioned that cost 3,000. The next year a report was made to the English government in which the number of families is stated at 1,500. When the general court voted 1,890 for the rebuilding of Harvard college, Boston paid 800. In anticipation of attacks from the Dutch, in 1672, extensive fortifications were commenced. "Philip's war" began in 1675, when Indian scalps were for the first time brought to Boston. They were Boston men who led the van in the famous attack on the Narragansett fort, and the town is said to have suffered nearly five times as much as any other place from the war. Liberty to establish a printing press in the town had been granted in 1674, with two ministers for censors; and a printing house was opened in 1676 by John Foster, a graduate of Harvard college. He printed the histories of the Indian wars written by Hubbard and Mather. In November, 1676, a fire occurred, which destroyed 46 dwellings, a church, and other buildings. A fire department was then organized, but not with much immedi- ate effect; for in 1679 another conflagration swept away 80 dwellings and 70 warehouses. The loss was estimated at 200,000. During the reign of James II., and under the rule of his gov- ernors Dudley and Andros, the town lived un- der a tyranny. ' Yet James's "declaration of indulgence " was well received there, and the churches held a thanksgiving on its account. On April 18, 1689, the people of Boston rose against the government, and overthrew it. In no part of the British empire was the revolu- tion of 1688 more warmly supported tha:i in Boston. The witchcraft delusion raged in 1692 in Boston, as in other parts of New England. In 1695 the town's churches were much agi- tated by the discussion of the question whether it is lawful for a man to marry the sister of his deceased wife, and they decided it in the nega- tive, which decision was followed by the enact- ment of severe laws by the general court against marriages of affinity. A list of all the streets, lanes, and alleys was made in 1708, and they were found to bo 110 in number. Long wharf was commenced in 1710, running 800 feet into the harbor. A severe fire hap- pened in 1711, burning 100 edifices, including the first church that had been erected in Bos- ton, after the rude hut which had witnessed the primitive devotions of the earliest set- tlers. Several persons were killed, and others wounded, by the blowing up of houses, and a 112 VOL. HI. 9 number of sailors perished while piously en- deavoring to save the church bell. Mail routes were at this date established at Boston, run- ning both east and west. What is known as " the great snow storm " occurred in February, 1717. Some of the Scotch-Irish settled in Boston in 1720, and introduced the linen manu- facture, which excited much interest, and was greatly encouraged, spinning schools being es- tablished. Boston had often been ravaged by the smallpox, and when in 1721 it again broke out virulently, Dr. Zabdiel Boylston determined to introduce inoculation. He encountered sav- age and malignant opposition, especially from medical men, but owing to the influence of Cotton Mather was allowed to proceed. Of 286 persons who were inoculated, only 6 died, while of the 5,759 who took the disease natur- ally, 844 died. As the population of Boston could not have been above 12,000, half the people were attacked. The first insurance office was established in 1724. The traffic in slaves prevailed to some extent in 1727, but the action of the town was strongly against it on many occasions. The town was divided into 12 wards in 1736. It was the scene of great riots in 1747, in consequence of some of the citizens having been impressed by Com. Knowles. The first theatrical performance was in 1750, Otway's " Orphan " being the piece selected. This led to the passage of a law which prevented any more dramatic exhibitions for 25 years. Nov. 18, 1755, 17 days after the great earthquake at Lisbon, the town was " dreadfully shaken " by an earthquake, per- haps the severest ever known in New England, by which great damage was done and much fright caused. March 20, 1760, a fire con- sumed 349 buildings, the entire property de- stroyed being valued at 100,000. Relief was sent to the sufferers from the other colonies and from England. The case of writs of as- sistance, which began the American revolution, was tried at Boston in 1761. James Otis so distinguished himself therein, that he became the most influential man of the town, and was said to have governed it for the next 10 years. At the first news of the intention of the Brit- ish government to apply its revenue system comprehensively to the colonies, Boston as- sumed that determined stand in behalf of liberty which gave her so conspicuous a part in the birth of the republic. " The Bos- ton massacre " happened March 5, 1770, when three persons were killed by the fire of the sol- diery, and five wounded. The destruction of the tea in 1773 was pronounced by the tory governor of the province the boldest stroke which had been struck in America. (See UNITED STATES.) The passage of the Boston port bill was the practical retort of the im- perial government to the proceedings of the Bostonians. But though the commerce of the town was for the time destroyed, and the in- dependence of the local government was sus- pended for nearly two years, other places