CURRENT LITERATURE.
The Idler, which is published by Messrs. Chatto and Windus, and edited by Messrs. Jerome K. Jerome and Robert Barr, is a new sixpenny magazine of fiction and jocosity, which is evidently intended to be the organ of so-called " New Humorists." Who these are, and how they joke, may be gathered from the final article, entitled "The Idlers' Club," and perhaps also from a rather too painfully funny story, "The English Shakespeare," by . Mr. I. Zangvrill. There is obviously a danger that the New Humorists may form themselves into a close coterie, and may commit the mistake of thinking that the public are much more interested than they actually are, in the jokes they make at each other's expense. It would be unfair, however, to judge any new magazine by the first number, or by the first two or three numbers. There is evidently plenty of humour and energy among the Idlers. Mark Twain dominates the first number. It contains the first portion of a quasi-story by him, a portrait of him, and a " conglomerate interview " with him. Among the other contributors to the first number are Mr. James Payn, Mr. Andrew Lang (who is not seen at his best here), and Mr. Bret Harts, who gives the first portion of what promises to be a characteristically clever Californian story, " The Conspiracy of Mrs. Banker." The most remarkable thing in this number, however, is certain "choice blends" of leading politicians. By some photographic process, a number of these are rolled into one. There are various " blends," but-if two of them could be taken as giving the truth, although in a somewhat bizarre fashion, one would say that Lord Salisbury is the domi- nating.force of his party, and Sir William Harcourt of his.
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