TOFANA 
 
 
   In some versions of the great drama of Punch, 
 there is a small dog (a modern innovation), sup- 
 posed to be the private property of that gentle- 
 man, and of the name of Toby-always Toby. 
 This dog has been stolen in youth from another 
 gentleman, and fraudulently sold to the confid- 
 ing hero who, having no guile himself, has no 
 suspicion that it lurks in others ; but Toby, en- 
 tertaining a grateful recollection of his old mas- 
 ter, and scorning to attach himself to any new 
 patron, not only refuses to smoke a pipe at the 
 bidding of Punch but (to mark his old fidelity 
 more strongly) seizes him by the nose, and 
 wrings the same with violence, at which in- 
 stance of canine attachment the spectators are 
 always deeply affected.-C. Dickens. 
 
   Toby, in the periodical called Punch, is 
represented as a grave, consequential, 
sullen, unsocial pug, perched on back vol- 
umes of the national Menippus, which he 
guards so stolidly that it would need a 
very bold heart to attempt to filch one. 
There is no reminiscence in this Toby, 
like that of his peep-show namesake, of 
any previous master, and no aversion to 
his present one. Punch himself is the 
very beau-ideal of good-natured satire 
and far-sighted shrewdness, while his dog 
(the very Diogenes of his tribe) would 
scorn his nature if he could be made to 
smile at anything. 
  *** The first cover of immortal Punch 
was designed by A. S. Henning; the 
present one by Richard Doyle. 
 
  Toby   (Uncle), a  captain, who    was 
wounded at the siege of Namur, and was 
obliged to retire from the service. He is 
the impersonation of kindness, benevo- 
lence, and simple-heartedness; his courage 
is undoubted, 'his gallantry delightful for 
its innocence and modesty. Nothing can 
exceed the grace of Uncle Toby's love- 
passages with the Widow WadmaD. It is 
said that Lieutenant Sterne (father of the 
novelist), was the prototype of Uncle 
Toby.-Sterne, Tristram Shandy (1759). 
 
 
   My Uncle Toby is one of the finest compli- 
 ments 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 ?-Haz- 
 litt. 
 
   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 chinles ring words in accord- 
ance 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 nail- 
maker, 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, 
flfartin 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 Aaua    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" 
               A 
 
 
TOBY 
 
 
128