EXHIBIT 6
 
                                 POWER OF ATTORNEY
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                                 Robert H. Benmosche
                                 Director and Officer

  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, a director and officer of Metropolitan
Life Insurance Company, do hereby appoint Gary A. Beller, Louis J. Ragusa,
Richard G. Mandel and Christopher P. Nicholas, and each of them severally, my
true and lawful attorney-in-fact, for me and in my name, place and stead to
execute and file any instrument or document to be filed as part of or in
connection with or in any way related to the Registration Statements and any and
all amendments thereto, filed by said Company under the Securities Act of 1933
and/or the Investment Company Act of 1940, in connection with Metropolitan Life
Separate Account UL, Metropolitan Life Separate Account E, The New England
Variable Account, New England Variable Annuity Fund I or New England Retirement
Investment Account of said Company, and to have full power and authority to do
or cause to be done in my name, place and stead each and every act and thing
necessary or appropriate in order to effectuate the same, as fully to all
intents and purposes as I might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact or any of them, may do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.  Each said attorney-in-fact shall have power to act
hereunder with or without the others.

  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of November, 
1997.
                                                  /s/ Robert H. Benmosche
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                                                  Signature