the scheme. But this was, in a way, Futurism's last expiring gasp, on the threshold of Dada and other isms to follow. Marinetti's real Futuristic activity extends from the performance of Le Roi Bombance, in 1909, to Le Monoplan du Pape, in 1914. He is now a distinguished luminary of the Fascist academy. But Signor Massimo Bontempelli, who has provided the Introduction for the Italian section, is inclined to feel that the question is an open one; and for this reason, Marinetti has been represented.
In Spain, the question comes up in connection with Azorin, a pre-War writer, there can be no doubt of that; yet, one of Señor Azorin's latest works bears the title Superrealismo, and there is an effort on the part of the content to live up to the young-generation title. The same problem is to be encountered in any country. There was thought on the part of the editors of having a "Precursors' Section" in each case (a thing which, for special reasons, has been done in the case of the French); but this might, very readily, expand into an anthology of precursors!
Still another question is that of age, the meaning of the word "young"—how young is young? Is it, as the French say, "moins que trente," under thirty? It was found, upon investigation, that any attempt to enforce a numerical rule would tend to defeat the purpose of a Young anthology; and for this reason, no such attempt has been made. It merely may be stated, broadly, that the War generation is that which is now in or nearing its forties, and les jeunes the members of that generation which is treading on the heels of the other. But there is, as always, an inevitable overlapping.
There are other non-inclusions, which the reader will discover for himself, and which he may explain, if he will, by the principles laid down above. Morand the prosateur has been omitted; Morand the poet has been included. Etc., etc. The desire has been to make the English reader acquainted with a new world of young writers, many of whom are to become better and better known outside their own countries during the next few decades; and it has, therefore, been a case of place aux jeunes. In the French section, particularly, on account of the large number of schools and writers, it has been deemed best, by adopting a plan of historic continuity, to simplify the picture by reducing it to its essentials; which again will explain why certain writers are not there. Too many anthologies are a hash of the familiar. Our ambition, in any event, has been to bring the significant unfamiliar to America's door.
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