My Uncle Toby is one of the finest compliments ever paid to human nature. He is the most unoffending of God’s creatures, or, as the French would express it, un tel petit bonhomme. Of his bowling-green, his sieges, and his amours, who would say or think anything amiss?--Hazlitt.
Toby Veck, ticket-porter and jobman, nicknamed “Trotty” from his trotting pace. He was “a weak, small, spare man,” who loved to earn his money, and heard the chimes ring words in accordance with his fancy, hopes, and fears. After a dinner of tripe, he lived for a time in a sort of dream, and woke up on New Year’s day to dance at his daughter’s wedding.--C. Dickens, The Chimes (1844).
Todd (Laurie), a poor Scotch nailmaker, who emigrates to America, and, after some reverses of fortune, begins life again as a backwoodsman, and greatly prospers.--Galt, Laurie Todd.
Tod´gers (Mrs.), proprietress of a “commercial boarding-house;” weighed down with the overwhelming cares of sauces, gravy, and the wherewithal of providing for her lodgers. Mrs. Todgers had a soft heart for Mr. Pecksniff, widower, and being really kind-hearted, befriended poor Mercy Pecksniff in her miserable married life with her brutal husband, Jonas Chuzzlewit.--C. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit (1844).
Tofa´na, of Palermo, a noted poisoner, who sold a tasteless, colorless poison, called the Manna of St. Nicola of Bara, but better known as Aqua Tofana. Above 600 persons fell victims to this fatal drug. She was discovered in 1659, and died 1730.
La Spara or Hieronyma Spara, about a century previously, sold an “elixir” equally fatal. The secret was ultimately revealed to her father confessor.
Tofts (Mistress), a famous singer towards the close of the eighteenth century. She was very fond of cats, and left a legacy to twenty of the tabby tribe.
Not Niobê mourned more for fourteen brats,
Nor Mistress Tofts, to leave her twenty cats.
Peter Pindar [Dr. Wolcot], Old Simon (1809).