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                                                                   Exhibit 23(b)

                       Consent of Independent Accountants

The Board of Directors
Bank of Boston Corporation

     We consent to the incorporation by reference, in this registration
statement on Form S-8, of the following reports:

     (i)  our report dated January 18, 1996, on our audits of the consolidated
          financial statements of Bank of Boston Corporation and Subsidiaries as
          of December 31, 1995 and 1994, and for each of the three years in the
          period ended December 31, 1995, incorporated by reference in the
          Corporation's 1995 Annual Report to Stockholders filed as Exhibit 13
          to the Corporation's 1995 Annual Report on Form 10-K; and

     (ii) our report dated August 26, 1996, on our audits of the supplemental
          consolidated financial statements for Bank of Boston Corporation as of
          December 31, 1995 and 1994, and for each of the years in the
          three-year period ended December 31, 1995, included in the Form 8-K of
          Bank of Boston Corporation dated September 6, 1996. We did
          not audit the consolidated financial statements of BayBanks, Inc., a
          wholly owned subsidiary, which statements reflect total assets of
          approximately $12,063,501,000 and $10,770,947,000 as of December 31,
          1995 and 1994, respectively, and net interest income of approximately
          $507,432,000, $464,942,000 and $423,823,000 for each of the years in
          the three-year period ended December 31, 1995. Those statements were
          audited by other auditors whose report has been furnished to us, and
          our opinion, insofar as it relates to amounts included for BayBanks,
          Inc., is based solely on the report of other auditors. The financial
          statements referred to above give retroactive effect to the merger of
          Bank of Boston Corporation with BayBanks, Inc. on July 29, 1996, which
          has been accounted for as a pooling of interests as described in 
          Notes 1 and 2 to the supplemental consolidated financial statements. 
          Generally accepted accounting principles proscribe giving effect to a
          consummated business combination accounted for by the pooling of
          interests method in consolidated financial statements that do not
          include the date of consummation. These supplemental financial
          statements do not extend through the date of consummation; however,
          they will become the

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          historical consolidated financial statements of Bank of Boston
          Corporation after consolidated financial statements covering the dates
          of consummation of the business combination are issued.

                                               /s/ Coopers & Lybrand, L.L.P.

Boston, Massachusetts
September 27, 1996