BRETON ANDRE: (1896-1966) French Writer and Poet, the co-founder, leader and principal theorist of surrealism. An interesting A.L.S., Andre Breton, signed twice, two pages, in green ink, to both sides of a postcard, Poitiers, n.d., [1940], to Pierre Mabille, in French. At the time of the present letter Breton is an auxiliary doctor at the elementary flying school in Poitiers. Breton cannot go to Paris, he explains the reason and what he has found, stating in part `J´espérais vivement vous voir cette semaine mais les permissions sont suspendues. N´oubliez pas de me tenir au courant de ce qui vous concerne... J´ai trouvé ici d´occasion un curieux livre: "Les Chefs d´Oeuvre de la littérature occulte... Dans la même collection auraient paru: "Les Chefs d´Oeuvre de la littérature fantastique"et "Les Chefs d´Oeuvre de la littérature mystérieuse". Combien alléchant! Malheureusement ces ouvrages paraissent composés dans un terrible esprit de vulgarisation... Si, comme je l´espère bien, vous êtes toujours à Paris, priez nos amis les plus qualifiés de fournir aussi largement que possible de communications brèves et de notes, critiques ou polémiques, lapidaires... Il faut tenter d´apporter là-bas l´essentiel de ce qui manque: une certaine nocivité sur le plan érotique et sur celui de l´humour me paraissent des plus recommendables.. ´ (Translation: "I was very much hoping to see you this week, but leave is suspended. Don't forget to keep me updated on your situation... I found a curious book here secondhand: "Masterpieces of Occult Literature"... In the same collection, they also seem to have published "Masterpieces of Fantastic Literature" and "Masterpieces of Mysterious Literature." How enticing! Unfortunately, these works appear to be written in a terrible spirit of popularization... If, as I sincerely hope, you are still in Paris, please ask our most qualified friends to provide as many brief communications and concise notes, critical or polemical, as possible... We must try to bring there the essential elements that are lacking: a certain provocativeness on the erotic and humorous levels seems to me most advisable...") Bearing to the front two ink stamps of the elementary flying school of Poitiers. VG