THOMAS

See also:

• DOUBLEDAY, ABNER (1819–1893)
• THOMAS DOUBLEDAY (1790–1870)

DOUBLEDAY (1790–1870)  , English politician and author, was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne in February 1790 . In early life he adopted the views of William Cobbett, and was active in promoting the agitation which resulted in the passing of the Reform Bill of 1832 . As secretary of the Northern Political Union of Whigs and Radicals he took a prominent part in forwarding the interests of Earl Grey and the reforming party . In 1858–1859 he was a member of the council of the Northern Reform Union; and to the last he was a keen observer of political events . He succeeded his father, George Doubleday, as partner in a firm of soap manufacturers at Newcastle, but devoted his attention rather to literature than to mercantile affairs . On the failure of the firm he obtained the office of registrar of St Andrew's parish, Newcastle, a post which he held until appointed secretary to the coal trade . He died at Bulman's Village, Newcastle-on-Tyne, on the 18th of December 187o . In 1832 Doubleday published an Essay on Mundane Moral Government, and in 1842 he attacked some of the principles of Malthus in his True Law of Population . He also wrote A Political Life of Sir Robert Peel (London, 1856); A Financial, Statistical and Monetary History of England from r688 (London, 1847); Matter for Materialists o, -_- gyn . f TTIL, when it began to be superseded by coat and waistcoat . The doublet was introduced into England from France, and was originally padded for defence or warmth . " Doublet " is also used of a pair or couple—a thing that is the facsimile of another; as in philology, one of two words differing in form, but represented by an identical root, as " alarm " or " alarum "; in optics, of a pair of lenses, combined, for example, to correct aberration .

In the

work of the lapidary a doublet is a counterfeit gem, made by cementing two pieces of plain glass or crystal on each side of a layer of glass (coloured to represent the stone counterfeited); a thin portion of a genuine stone may he cemented upon an inferior one, as a layer of diamond upon a topaz, or ruby on a garnet .