In the end Cibber’s objections were overruled, “and the same night Booth had the fifty guineas, which he receiv’d with a thankfulness that made Wilks and Dogget perfectly easy, insomuch that they seem’d for some time to triumph in their conduct, and often endeavour’d to laugh my jealousy out of countenance.  But in the following winter the game happened to take a different turn; and then, if it had been a laughing matter,” says Colley, “I had as strong an occasion to smile at their former security."[A]

[Footnote A:  After Booth was admitted into the management Dogget retired in disgust from Drury Lane, and brought suit against his former associates.  He was decreed the sum of L600 for his share in the patent, with allowances for interest.  “I desir’d,” wrote Cibber, “we might all enter into an immediate treaty with Booth, upon the terms of his admission.  Dogget still sullenly reply’d, that he had no occasion to enter into any treaty.  Wilks then, to soften him, propos’d that, if I liked it, Dogget might undertake it himself.  I agreed.  No! he would not be concern’d in it.  I then offer’d the same trust to Wilks, if Dogget approv’d of it.  Wilks said he was not good at making of bargains, but if I was willing, he would rather leave it to me.  Dogget at this rose up and said, we might both do as we pleas’d, but that nothing but the law should make him part with his property—­and so went out of the room.”]

“So much for one result of ‘Cato’s’ first performance.  The play had a run of thirty-five nights and as cunning as Dogget, was so charm’d with the proposal that he long’d that moment to make Booth the present with his own hands; and though he knew he had no right to do it without my consent, had no patience to ask it; upon which I turned to Dogget with a cold smile [what a freezing, polar expression Cibber could put on when he desired] and told him, that if Booth could be purchas’d at so cheap a rate, it would be one of the best proofs of his economy we had ever been beholden to:  I therefore desired we might have a little patience; that our doing it too hastily might be only making sure of an occasion to throw the fifty guineas away; for if we should be obliged to do better for him, we could never expect that Booth would think himself bound in honour to refund them.”

From this little conversation we see that art is not always the one beacon light of the player or the manager.  Cibber argued with his natural shrewdness, but Wilks would not be convinced, and began, “with his usual freedom of speech,” to treat the suggestion “as a pitiful evasion of their intended generosity.”