From the New York Courier and Enquirer.
Southern Literary Messenger, for December 1835.—There is no one of the many periodicals of our country, to the reception of which we look forward with a greater certainty of satisfaction than to this young, but already more than adolescent magazine. It is always above par, always distinguishable for correct style and pure English—for neatness and elegance—rather perhaps than vigor, or decided strength of original thought—the absence of which quality is perhaps sufficient to constitute a weak point, in what would otherwise be almost faultless. In the department of criticism, however, this remark does not apply so fully—for the notice of new works, in the Southern Messenger, are, we have no hesitation in saying it, the boldest, the most independent, and unflinching, of all that appears in the periodical world. This is as it should be—over-levity towards rising writers is a more real sin than over-sternness; and we are sorry to say, it is a sin, into which most of our magazines are wont to fall. This number is one of more than average power, and the critiques on The Hawks of Hawk-Hollow—the Linwoods—and Norman Leslie we especially recommend to notice. They are evidently all written with equal sincerity, and force of true opinion, and as such command respect even where we differ from them in judgment. That on Dr. Bird's new book, for instance, is too favorable; and indeed we think that this gentleman is always overrated—that on "the Linwoods" is superlative, in truth, style, and taste; while that on Norman Leslie is severe to a fault; inasmuch as the criticism, though we cannot deny the truth of the greater portion of it, is paralyzed by the strong symptoms of personal hostility not to Mr. Fay only, but to all who may be supposed to favor or admire him.
From the National Intelligencer.
Southern Literary Messenger.—This journal has, very unexpectedly, left its Northern competitors behind in the race for fame, and assumed all at once a pre-eminent rank among American periodicals. We have just received the first number of the second volume, and find it superior, in every respect, to any of the preceding ones. It contains 68 pages of closely printed matter, in double columns. Besides the 68 pages of text, it has a double cover of 8 pages, containing matters relating to its own peculiar interests—thus avoiding the necessity of intruding such subjects in the text. Its paper is excellent, its type new, and its entire mechanical execution superior to that of any Magazine with which we are acquainted. The South has thus far every reason to be proud of the extraordinary success which has attended the Messenger.
The first article in the present number is Chapter IX of the Tripolitan Sketches, by Mr. R. Greenhow, of this city, a series of papers which, of themselves, would have been sufficient to stamp the Messenger with a character of no ordinary kind. The Extracts from My Mexican Journal are excellent papers, on a subject of untiring interest. The Address of Lucian Minor, on Education, is likely to do much good, by attracting the attention of Virginians to the important subject it discusses—the organization of District Schools. The Wissahiccon is a wishy-washy affair, and deserves no praise whatever. Lionel Granby, Chapter VI., is full of fine thought, shrewdness, and originality. The Specimens of Love Letters are curious and entertaining—but the old English Magazines are full of similar articles, and the Messenger should have nothing to do with them. The MS. found in a Bottle is from the pen of Edgar A. Poe. The Critical Notices occupy more than one half of the number, and form the fullest Review in the country—embracing criticisms, at length, of nearly every work lately published in America, besides a great number of English publications. A compendious digest of the principal reviews, English and American, is included. The tone of the criticisms differs widely from puffery, and is perfectly independent.
The Poetry is, for the most part excellent. Scenes from Politian, an unpublished Drama, by Edgar A. Poe, occupy about three pages. A little piece signed Eliza is very good; also, A Sketch, by Alex. Lacey Beard, Marcelia, Ruins, A Sonnet to an infant dying, Lines to Mira, and a Translation. The covers contain compliments of the highest order paid the Messenger by many of the first papers in the Union. Among them we may mention the New York Courier and Enquirer, the Portland Advertiser, the Georgetown Metropolitan, the New England Galaxy, (all of which place the Messenger decidedly at the head of American Magazines,) Norfolk Herald, Richmond Compiler, Baltimore Patriot, Augusta Chronicle, and a host of others. We are truly glad to see these flattering testimonials in behalf of Southern literature. We wish the Messenger every possible success.
From the Pennsylvanian.
The December number of the Southern Literary Messenger has been received. The contributions appear to be of an excellent kind; at least, those from Mr. Poe and others, whose reputations attracted our notice. The most striking feature of the number, however, is the critical department. Eschewing all species of puffery, the Messenger goes to work upon several of the most popular novels of the day, and hacks and hews with a remorselessness and an evident enjoyment of the business, which is as rare as it is amusing, in an indigenous periodical. Of the justice of the criticisms, we have not qualified ourselves to judge; but their severity is manifest enough; and that is such a relief to the dull monotony of praise which rolls smooth in the wake of every new book, that a roughness which savors of honesty and independence is welcome.