A CONFIRMED TORY.
My good friend and host, Henry Cook Todd, was one of the most
uncompromising Tories I ever met with. He might have sat for the
portrait of Mr. Grimwig in "Oliver Twist." Like that celebrated old
gentleman, "his bark was aye waur than his bite." He would pour out a
torrent of scorn and sarcasm upon some luckless object of his
indignation, public or private; and, having exhausted the full vials of
his wrath, would end with some kind act toward, perhaps, the very person
he had been anathematizing, and subside into an amiable mood of
compassion for the weaknesses of erring mankind generally.
He was a graduate of the University of Oxford, and afterwards had charge
of a large private school in one of the English counties. Having
inherited and acquired a moderate competency, he retired into private
life; but later on he lost by the failure of companies wherein his
savings had been invested. He then commenced business as a bookseller,
did not succeed, and finally decided, at the persuasion of his wife's
brother, Mr. William P. Patrick, of Toronto, to emigrate to Canada.
Having first satisfied himself of the prudence of the step, by a tour in
the United States and Canada, he sent for his family, who arrived here
in 1833.
His two sons, Alfred and Alpheus, got the full benefit of their father's
classical attainments, and were kept closely to their studies. At an
early age, their uncle Patrick took charge of their interests, and
placed them about him in the Legislative Assembly, where I recollect to
have seen one or both of them, in the capacity of pages, on the floor of
the House. From that lowly position, step by step, they worked their
way, as we have seen, to the very summit of their respective
departments.
Mr. Todd was also an accomplished amateur artist, and drew exquisitely.
An etching of the interior of Winchester Cathedral, by him, I have never
seen surpassed.
He was fond of retirement and of antiquarian reading, and, while engaged
in some learned philological investigation, would shut himself up in his
peculiar sanctum and remain invisible for days, even to his own family.
Between the years 1833 and 1840, Mr. Todd published a book, entitled
"Notes on Canada and the United States," and I cannot better illustrate
his peculiar habits of thought, and mode of expressing them, than by
quoting two or three brief passages from that work, and from "Addenda"
which I printed for him myself, in 1840:
"As an acidulated mixture with the purest element will embitter
its sweetness, so vice and impurity imported to any country must
corrupt and debase it. To this hour, when plunderers no longer
feel secure in the scenes of their misdeeds, or culprits would
evade the strong arm of the law, to what country do they escape?
America--for here, if not positively welcomed (?), they are, at
least, safe. If it be asked, did not ancient Rome do the same
thing? I answer, slightly so, whilst yet an infant, but never in
any shape afterwards; but America, by still receiving, and with
open arms, the vicious and the vile from all corners of the
earth, does so in her full growth. As she therefore plants, so
must she also reap.
* * * "The Episcopal clergy in this country [United States] were
originally supported by an annual contribution of tobacco, each
male, so tithable, paying 40lbs.; the regular clergy of the then
thinly-settled state of Virginia receiving 16,000 lbs. yearly as
salary. In Canada they are maintained by an assignment of lands
from the Crown, which moreover extends its assistance to
ministers of other denominations; so that the people are not
called upon to contribute for that or any similar purpose; and
yet, such is the deplorable abandonment to error, and obstinate
perversion of fact, amongst the low or radical party here--a
small one, it is true, but not on that account less
censurable--that this very thing which should ensure their
gratitude is a never-ending theme for their vituperation and
abuse; proving to demonstration, that no government on earth, or
any concession whatever, can long satisfy or please them.
* * * "The mention of periodicals reminds me, that newspapers on
the arrival of a stranger are about the first things he takes
up; but on perusing them, he must exercise his utmost judgment
and penetration; for of all the fabrications, clothed too in the
coarsest language, that ever came under my observation, many
papers here, for low scurrility, and vilifying the authorities,
certainly surpass any I ever met with. It is to be regretted
that men without principle and others void of character should
be permitted thus to abuse the public ear. * * The misguided
individuals in the late disturbance, on being questioned upon
the subject, unreservedly admitted, that until reading
Mackenzie's flagitious and slanderous newspaper, they were
happy, contented, and loyal subjects."
When the seat of Government was removed to Kingston, Mr. Todd's family
accompanied it thither; but he remained in Toronto, to look after his
property, which was considerable, and died here at the age of 77.