Lennox laid the blame for the disruption on another playwright, Richard Cumberland, who was known for such tactics. He feared that Lennox would encourage more women writers to stage plays, and that would mean fewer opportunities for him. He wasn’t wrong: there were a limited number of patents, or licenses, to stage plays in London in this period. He didn’t want more competition for the few spots available. This is the bigotry of the small-minded; in a scarcity environment, Cumberland wanted to win by ensuring he and his friends were the only players, not because they produced the best work.
