15 JULY 1876, Page 20

CURRENT LITERATURE.

Temple Bar for July (Bentley) has two articles antithetically placed in close neighbourhood, "The Last of the Grand School of Connoisseurs"

and " The First of the English Satirists," both of which are worth reading. Why Mr. Thomas Dodd should be entitled the last of the connoisseurs is not quite clear. In fact, the word "connoisseur " is not commonly used of those who make a profession of wit. But his life is an interesting one, and clearly worthy of some kind of remembrance, not unworthily given in this essay. Dr. Donne's claim to his title is more clear, " first," of course, being understood of time, though indeed there have been admirers who would have had it otherwise understood. There is, indeed, no common consent as to who should fill the place of honour. "Most varied" would probably be given for Churchill, but who reads Churchill ? There are in this number the usual instalments of fiction, Mr. Anthony Trollope's "American Senator" and Mr. Wilkie Collins's "Two Destinies." To our surprise, too, we find given part of a novel which we have long ago reviewed in these columns, and we were going to say, but that "Her Dearest Foe " is really good, long ago forgotten.