484 NATHANIEL BRADSTREET SHURTLEFF. 



and which is still employed witli considerable modifications in its ad- 

 ministration. In 1862, Dr. Shurtk'ff edited "A Literal Eej^rint of the 

 Bay Psalm Book " with his usnal conscientious accuracy, and enriched 

 it with a short bibliographical notice of much value to the curious 

 student. Unfortunately there were but fifty-six copies printed, so that 

 the reprint is almost as hard to come by as that rarest of bibliomaniacal 

 curiosities. 



Dr. Shurtleff was a Bostonian of the Bostonians, and had a passion- 

 ate affection for his native city, which led to an immense collection of 

 materials for the illustration of her history and antiquities. A portion 

 of these he employed in the preparation of the most important of his 

 works, — "A Historical and Topographical Description of Boston," 

 which was published in 1871. This volume contains more information 

 on the subjects of which it treats than can be found elsewhere, and yet 

 but a quarter part of the material he had been collecting, for more 

 than forty years, was employed in its preparation. It is to be hoped 

 that the remainder of these important collections may have been left in 

 a shape to be made useful hereafter. So devoted was he to his native 

 city that it is said that he had slept but two nights out of its limits 

 since he left college, and those were most characteristically given to 

 Plymouth. In 18G7, Dr. Shurtleff reached the position which prob- 

 ably was the highest object of his ambition, being elected Mayor of 

 Boston as the candidate of the Democratic party. The next year he 

 was airain elected on the nomination of the Democrats, and in 1871, 

 havin"- lost the nomination of that party, he was triumphantly chosen 

 as an independent candidate by a pkirality of nearly 8,000 votes. 

 After having received this most honorable testimony to his adminis- 

 trative merits, he declined a re-election. During the Rebellion, he was 

 active in promoting the cause of the Union, and gave both his sons to 

 the military service of the country, of whom the eldest, bearing his 

 name (11. C. 1859), fell at Cedar Mountain in August, 1862, at the 

 a^e of twenty-four. Dr. Shurtleff was elected a Fellow of this Acad- 

 emy In 1|8'')3, and was also a member of the Massachusetts Historical 

 Society, of the American Philosophical Society held at Philadelphia, 

 of the American Antiquarian Society, of the Royal Society of Anti- 

 quaries of London, and of many other learned bodies. His life was 

 marked by a constant activity in useful directions, and it was crowned 

 with the testimony of a good conscience, with the friendship of many 

 eminent men, and with the respect of the general public. 



