<ARTICLE> 6 <LEGEND> NEW ENGLAND VARIABLE LIFE SEPARATE ACCOUNT </LEGEND> <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1996 <INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 645,271,291 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 780,364,269 <RECEIVABLES> 925,933 <ASSETS-OTHER> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 781,290,202 <PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0 <SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 102,457,703 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 102,457,703 <SENIOR-EQUITY> 0 <PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 0 <SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 0 <SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 0 <ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0 <ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0 <ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 0 <NET-ASSETS> 678,832,499 <DIVIDEND-INCOME> 4,495,171 <INTEREST-INCOME> 0 <OTHER-INCOME> 0 <EXPENSES-NET> 1,069,082 <NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 3,426,089 <REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 0 <APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 33,938,861 <NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 37,364,950 <EQUALIZATION> 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0 <NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0 <NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0 <SHARES-REINVESTED> 0 <NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 66,198,215 <ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0 <ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 <OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0 <OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 <GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0 <GROSS-EXPENSE> 0 <AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 0 <PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 0 <PER-SHARE-NII> 0 <PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0 <PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0 <PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0 <RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0 <PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 0 <EXPENSE-RATIO> 0 <AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0 <AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0