7 MAY 1892, Page 27

The May number of Temple Bar is quite up to

the average as regards variety of contents, though hardly so as regards liveli- ness. It does not contain—as the magazine generally does contain—some article of marked excellence, and, as a rule, of a biographical character. The nearest approach to such a paper is one on Jasmin the Gascon poet, who died in 1864, at the age of sixty-six, and whose last literary effort was a remonstrance to M. Renan for writing the "Vie de Jesus." "Not precisely great, but unmistakably original and charming," is the verdict passed by the author of this paper on Jasmin's character as well as poetry ; and it is essentially sound. Fiction seems this year the leading feature of Temple Bar. Maarten Maartens' story of" God's Fool" is a strong one.