[Footnote 129: "The Laureat" (p. 33): "I am of Opinion, _Booth_ was not wrong in this. There are many of the Sentiments in this Character, where Nature and common Sense are outraged; and an Actor, who shou'd give the full comic Utterance to them in his Delivery, would raise what they call a _Horse-Laugh_, and turn it into Burlesque."
On the other hand, Theophilus Cibber, in his Life of Booth, p. 72, supports his father's opinion, saying:--
"The Remark is just--Mr. _Booth_ would sometimes slur over such bold Sentiments, so flightily delivered by the Poet. As he was good-natured--and would 'hear each Man's Censure, yet reserve his Judgment,'--I once took the Liberty of observing, that he had neglected (as I thought) giving that kind of spirited Turn in the afore-mentioned Character--He told me I was mistaken; it was not Negligence, but Design made him so slightly pass them over:--For though, added he, in these places one might raise a Laugh of Approbation in a few,--yet there is nothing more unsafe than exciting the Laugh of Simpletons, who never know when or where to stop; and, as the Majority are not always the wisest Part of an Audience,--I don't chuse to run the hazard."]
[Footnote 130: A long account of the production of "Cato" is given by Cibber in Chap. XIV. From the cast quoted in a note, it will be seen that Cibber himself was the original Syphax.]
[Footnote 131: "The Laureat" (p. 33): "I have seen the Original _Syphax_ in _Cato_, use many ridiculous Distortions, crack in his Voice, and wreathe his Muscles and his Limbs, which created not a Smile of Approbation, but a loud Laugh of Contempt and Ridicule on the Actor." On page 34: "In my Opinion, the Part of _Syphax_, as it was originally play'd, was the only Part in _Cato_ not tolerably executed."]
[Footnote 132: Bellchambers on this passage has one of those aggravating notes, in which he seems to try to blacken Cibber as much as possible. I confess that I can see nothing of the "venom" he resents so vigorously. He says:--
"Theophilus Cibber, in the tract already quoted, expressly states, that Booth 'was not so scrupulously nice or timerous' in this character, as in that to which our author has invidiously referred. I shall give the passage, for its powerful antidote to Colley's venom:--