11 MAY 1878, Page 24

CURRENT LITERATURE.

Friends of Sir W. Holmes have called our attention to an attack upon him in our notice, published a fortnight since, of Mr. Evans's Illyria which they consider unwarranted. It is unwarranted, and we deeply regret that it should have appeared even accidentally in our columns. It was, as we believed, cancelled in proof. The Spectator never makes that kind of attack without producing full evidence, and in this instance, did not intend to make it at all. We believe Sir W. Holmes to be a deeply prejudiced, or even blindly prejudiced man, but just as sincere as his opponents.