Comedies which have been lost, wholly or in part, cannot be classified; but the following list may be of value for reference: --_L'Amour et la Verite_ (of which the prologue only has come down to us), _la Commere_, _l'Heureuse Surprise_ (possibly the same as _la Joie imprevue_), _l'Amante frivole_, _la Femme fidele_ (fragments of which play have been printed by Larroumet [pp. 313-319] and by Fleury [pp. 365-371]). From this classification it will be seen that by no means all of Marivaux's comedies could be termed _Surprises de l'amour_, although some of his best come within that category. There is a whole series of plays, to which Larroumet[112] calls attention, in which Marivaux has left the real for the imaginary world. There are times when we are almost inclined to admit with Lemaitre "that fancy's wing, which bears so high and so far the poet of _A Midsummer Night's Dream_, has at least grazed the powdered brow of Marivaux." [113] The poetic fantasies of the latter certainly recall the fanciful creations of the great English poet. In the limited space of this Introduction it will be impossible to analyze the plots of any, save only the most important.[114] The following comedies are about the only ones presented regularly at the Comedie- Francaise: _le Jeu de l'Amour et du Hasard_, _le Legs_, _les Fausses Confidences_, and _l'Epreuve_; but this brief list by no means embraces all of his exquisite sketches of eighteenth century society. Add to these _la Mere confidente_, for which both Larroumet[115] and Sarcey[116] plead, or, at the suggestion of Lemaitre,[117] _la Surprise de l'Amour_, _les Sinceres_, _la Double Inconstance_, and _les Serments indiscrets_, and we shall still have left a whole series of treasures unexplored, especially in the realm of the fanciful. As we have already examined one of the most delightful pieces of the latter class, _Arlequin poli par l'Amour_, a hasty survey of his best known plays will have to suffice. It might be well to add here that Marivaux's favourite plays were the following: _la Double Inconstance_, the two _Surprises de l'Amour_, _la Mere confidente_, _les Serments indiscrets_, _les Sinceres_ and _l'Ile des Esclaves_.[118]