h superhuman, devotes himself to celibacy and his fortune to the
lovers. Lisette plays the role of the _intrigante_ and temptress of her
mistress. The comic of the piece is in the hands of Lubin, a peasant in
the service of the family, who is bribed by each party to spy upon the
other.

Lack of space forbids more than a mere mention of the remaining plays,
many of which are worthy of being compared favourably with those which
have been outlined. We have seen enough to convince us that, although his
drama may be classified in general as psychological and _feminin_ there is
great diversity in the individual plays, and never monotony.

It has been said by certain of his contemporaries that in all the
characters of his comedies he has but embodied himself, that they all have
"the imprint of the style _precieux_, for which he has been reproached
with so much reason in his novels and in his comedies,"[124] and that
all,--"masters, valets, courtiers, peasants, lovers, mistresses, old men,
and young men have the _esprit_ of Marivaux."[125] To this accusation he
makes reply in these words, quoted by d'Alembert: "On croit voir partout
le meme genre de style dans mes comedies, parce que le dialogue y est
partout l'expression simple des mouvements du coeur: la verite de cette
expression fait croire que je n'ai qu'un meme ton et qu'une meme langue;
mais ce n'est pas moi que j'ai voulu copier, c'est la nature et c'est
peut-etre parce que ce ton est naturel, qu'il a paru singulier."[126]

Both the accusation and the reply are somewhat justifiable. With all the
diversity that may be found in his different characters, there is yet a
similarity of sentiments and of expression, which is due, not to a desire
of representing himself in his plays, but to looking for models to a
society the very natural of which was artificial, and to looking always
from one point of view. To the careful student of the human heart the
infinite variety that Marivaux has known how to introduce into his
characters, which are always clearly distinct from one another, even if by
mere delicate shades of difference, is a greater cause for wonder than the
general family resemblance that unites them all.[127]

The roles of women are the important ones in the works of this author. In
this particular the comedies of Marivaux recall the tragedies of Racine.
Brunetiere[128] goes so far as to claim that "the roles of women in
Marivaux's drama are almost the only women's