From the Norfolk Herald.
Southern Literary Messenger.—The first number of Vol. 2 of this Magazine has come to hand, greatly improved in outward appearance, as well as in literary merit. No Journal of this kind in the country has experienced so rapid, so extensive, and so unequivocal a success as the Southern Literary Messenger. It is now, whether we consider the extent of its patronage, the great beauty of its mechanical appearance, or the lustre of the names of its regular contributors, the first Monthly Magazine in America. In the variety, and more especially in the originality of its articles it has no equal; and among other things we must not forget that the author of the Lunar Hoax is indebted to the Hans Phaal of Mr. Poe (a regular contributor to the Messenger) for the conception and in a great measure for the execution of his discoveries. Indeed several passages in the two are nearly identical. As regards the amount of absolute matter contained in a number of the Messenger, we cannot be far wrong in stating that it is equal to that of any two monthly Journals in the country—with the exception perhaps of Littell's Museum, which is made up altogether of selections from foreign Magazines.
The present No. (No. 1. Vol. 2,) is by far the best yet issued. In the first place we have a continuation of the History and present condition of Tripoli, with some account of the other Barbary Powers. These sketches, from the pen of Robert Greenhow of Washington, have acquired an extensive reputation, and the present chapter is equal to any of the series. By the bye, the last number of Harper's Family Library contains the "History and present condition of the Barbary States," by the Rev. Dr. Russell. Here is surely a great similarity in the titles—more than we can suppose to be accidental. We know that the sketches in the Messenger commenced nine months ago. The Extracts from my Mexican Journal are highly interesting, but would be better were they more modern. The date of the last Extract is 1827. Minor's Address on Education is one of the finest things of the kind we have ever perused, and we should not wonder if it drew public attention to the subject it discusses—the establishment of District Schools throughout Virginia upon a plan similar to that in New England. The Wissahiccon is not very creditable to the Magazine—it might, however be considered as tolerable elsewhere. Lionel Granby is evidently written by a man of genius. The present Chapter is the seventh. The MS. found in a Bottle is extracted from The Gift, Miss Leslie's beautiful Annual. It is from the pen of Edgar A. Poe, "whose eccentric genius," says the Charleston Courier, "delights in the creation of strange possibilities, and in investing the most intangible romances in an air of perfect verisimilitude." We have heard the MS. found in a Bottle, called the best of his Tales—but prefer his Lionizing and Morella.—The highest praise, however, and from the very highest quarters, has been awarded to all he has written. The Specimens of Love Letters in the reign of Edward IV. is an excellent article. The Editorial department, under the modest head of Critical Notices, embraces no less than 56 columns of liberal and well-digested Reviews of new publications. Among these, are Notices of Dr. Bird's last novel—Miss Sedgwick's Linwoods—Glass' Life of Washington—The Edinburgh, London Quarterly, Westminster, and N. American Reviews—The Crayon Miscellany—Godwin's Necromancy—Legends of a Log Cabin—Mrs. Hale's traits of American Life—Hall's Western Sketches—Clinton Bradshaw—and many others—not forgetting Norman Leslie, which is utterly torn to pieces in a long and detailed Review of the most bitter and unsparing sarcasm. These Reviews speak well for the future prosperity of the Messenger. Let its Editor aim at making the Magazine a vehicle for liberal and independent criticisms, and he will not fail to receive a proper encouragement from every lover of literature.
The poetry is very excellent. October by Eliza is beautiful—and also some lines upon the same page by the same writer. Among other things we must particularly mention Marcelia—A Sonnet, and another Sonnet, entitled Ruins, just above it. The Lines on the Blank Leaf—and the Scenes from an unpublished Drama by Edgar A. Poe.
From the Charlottesville Jeffersonian.
The Southern Literary Messenger.—We have been favored by the politeness of Mr. White, with the first number of the second volume of this interesting periodical, and take pleasure in adding our mite to the many well merited praises which his work has already received from other journals; and we agree with Mr. White in his bright anticipations of the future. This periodical must be sustained for the literary credit of the Old Dominion and the honor of the South. Some of our Northern cotemporaries have already declared it the best literary periodical in America, and we deem this praise not so high as when they say it is decidedly good. This number contains sufficient variety to gratify diversity of taste.
The MS. found in a bottle. By Edgar A. Poe, is good,—it is original and well told. Its wild impossibilities are pictured to the imagination with all the detail of circumstances, which truth and the fearful reality might be supposed to present. Whilst we do not agree to the justness of the praise which has been bestowed upon some of Mr. Poe's pieces, we concur in the general commendation which he has received as a writer of great originality, and one who promises well.
The prose article which most pleases us in this number, is Mr. Minor's Address on Education. It is too valuable and upon a subject of too much importance to the State, to be passed with this cursory notice of the Messenger; we shall recur to the subject again and again. We perceive that the Georgetown Metropolitan has censured the Messenger, for publishing Mr. Garnett's Introductory Lecture on the subject of Education, thinking it unsuitable to the Magazine. Mr. White acted properly in disregarding such an objection. Variety is the very life of a literary periodical, and it is never less agreeable for being useful.