DOM'BEY AND SON. A novel by Charles Dickens. first published serially in 1846. It nar rates tile fortunes of a London merchant whose chief desire is to assure the continuance of the firm name through his son Paul. He is indif ferent to the death of the boy's mother. but is crushed by the' early death of his son. His second wife, Edith, elopes with his manager, James Carker, and he incurs financial losses. His daughter Florence. whom he hates for living while his son dies, marries. and afterwards wins his affection, and her children are the solace of 1Mr. Dombey's later years.
DOM-BOC, (16111'65k (AS. book of dooms or sentences, Lat. judicialis), or Doom-Boos. -The code of laws compiled by King Alfred chiefly from the West Saxon collection of his own an cestor inc. but comprising also small portions of the \lercian laws of Offa and of the Kentish col lection of Ethelbert, with the supplements of his successors. "Ine's collection," says Dr. Pauli, "was the only one received entire into the codex, which was chiefly applicable to the condition of the West Saxons. A few articles were admitted
here and there from the Kentish and \lercian laws, but research into this matter is not pos sible, as Olin's book is lost." Alfred made few, if any, original laws, but contented himself with restoring. renovating. and improving those which he found already in existence. The peculiarly Christian character of the King is strongly im pressed on this code, which begins with an ex tract from the Bible: "The Lord spike all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God." Then follow the Ten Commandments. the part of the Mosaic law relating to criminal offenses, and passages from the New Testament, including the Golden Mile. The code was ratified by the Witan. as Alfred expressly informs us. Consult: Alfred the Great, from the German (London, 1852) ; Thorpe, .1 neicat Lairs and Institutes of England ( London. 15-10).