  A precise variational solution to $N$=2--6-body problems is reported. The
trial wave functions are chosen to be combinations of correlated Gaussians,
which facilitate a fully analytical calculation of the matrix elements. The
nonlinear parameters of the trial function are selected by a stochastic method.
Fermionic and bosonic few-body systems are investigated for interactions of
different type. A comparison of the results with those available in the
literature shows that the method is both accurate and efficient.
