The _Lincoln's-Inn-Fields_ Company were now, in 1693,[250] a Common-wealth, like that of _Holland_, divided from the Tyranny of _Spain_: But the Similitude goes very little farther; short was the Duration of the Theatrical Power! for tho' Success pour'd in so fast upon them at their first Opening that every thing seem'd to support it self, yet Experience in a Year or two shew'd them that they had never been worse govern'd than when they govern'd themselves! Many of them began to make their particular Interest more their Point than that of the general: and tho' some Deference might be had to the Measures and Advice of _Betterton_, several of them wanted to govern in their Turn, and were often out of Humour that their Opinion was not equally regarded--But have we not seen the same Infirmity in Senates? The Tragedians seem'd to think their Rank as much above the Comedians as in the Characters they severally acted; when the first were in their Finery, the latter were impatient at the Expence, and look'd upon it as rather laid out upon the real than the fictitious Person of the Actor; nay, I have known in our own Company this ridiculous sort of Regret carried so far, that the Tragedian has thought himself injured when the _Comedian_ pretended to wear a fine Coat! I remember _Powel_, upon surveying my first Dress in the _Relapse_, was out of all temper, and reproach'd our Master in very rude Terms that he had not so good a Suit to play _Cæsar Borgia_[251] in! tho' he knew, at the same time, my Lord _Foppington_ fill'd the House, when his bouncing _Borgia_ would do little more than pay Fiddles and Candles to it: And though a Character of Vanity might be supposed more expensive in Dress than possibly one of Ambition, yet the high Heart of this heroical Actor could not bear that a Comedian should ever pretend to be as well dress'd as himself. Thus again, on the contrary, when _Betterton_ proposed to set off a Tragedy, the Comedians were sure to murmur at the Charge of it: And the late Reputation which _Dogget_ had acquired from acting his _Ben_ in _Love_ for _Love_, made him a more declared Male-content on such Occasions; he over-valued Comedy for its being nearer to Nature than Tragedy, which is allow'd to say many fine things that Nature never spoke in the same Words; and supposing his Opinion were just, yet he should have consider'd that the Publick had a Taste as well as himself, which in Policy he ought to have complied with. _Dogget_, however, could not with Patience look upon the costly Trains and Plumes of Tragedy, in which knowing himself to be useless, he thought were all a vain Extravagance: And when he found his Singularity could no longer oppose that Expence, he so obstinately adhered to his own Opinion, that he left the Society of his old Friends, and came over to us at the _Theatre-Royal_: And yet this Actor always set up for a Theatrical Patriot. This happened in the Winter following the first Division of the (only) Company.[252] He came time enough to the _Theatre-Royal_ to act the Part of _Lory_ in the _Relapse_, an arch Valet, quite after the _French_ cast, pert and familiar. But it suited so ill with _Dogget_'s dry and closely-natural Manner of acting, that upon the second Day he desired it might be disposed of to another; which the Author complying with, gave it to _Penkethman_, who, tho' in other Lights much his Inferior, yet this Part he seem'd better to become. _Dogget_ was so immovable in his Opinion of whatever he thought was right or wrong, that he could never be easy under any kind of Theatrical Government, and was generally so warm in pursuit of his Interest that he often out-ran it; I remember him three times, for some Years, unemploy'd in any Theatre, from his not being able to bear, in common with others, the disagreeable Accidents that in such Societies are unavoidable.[253] But whatever Pretences he had form'd for this first deserting from _Lincoln's-Inn-Fields_, I always thought his best Reason for it was, that he look'd upon it as a sinking Ship; not only from the melancholy Abatement of their Profits, but likewise from the Neglect and Disorder in their Government: He plainly saw that their extraordinary Success at first had made them too confident of its Duration, and from thence had slacken'd their Industry--by which he observ'd, at the same time, the old House, where there was scarce any other Merit than Industry, began to flourish.