The “Editorial” of this number is very forcible nod racy as usual. Among other things we notice an account of the origin of “Lynch's Law.” The “Critical Notices” embrace all new publications of any moment, that is, American publications; and we approve of the Editor's discrimination in not troubling himself, except in rare cases, with those of foreign countries. The books reviewed are Slidell's “Spain Revisited,” “Paulding's Washington,” Mrs. Trollope's “Paris and the Parisians.” Walsh's “Didactics,” Anthon's “Sallust,” Cooper's “Switzerland” and “Mellen's Poems.” A press of other matters prevented us from doing what we intended in relation to the last Messenger. We wished especially to have called public attention to the Editorial _critique_ on the poems of Drake and Halleck, and the article (also editorial) on the “Automaton of Maelzel.” Both these pieces are unanswerable—and perhaps the two best articles of any kind which have ever appeared in an American Periodical. The essay on the Automaton _cannot be answered_, and we have heard the Editor challenges a reply from Maelzel himself, or from any source whatever. The piece has excited great attention. The poetry of the Messenger improves: there are some excellent lines in the present number. From the National Gazette. The May number of the Southern Literary Messenger contains several excellent articles. Mr. Calvert's Lecture on the Literature of Germany may be commended to the attention of all who are either about studying the German language, or would wish to know something of the authors of that country. His descriptions, though necessarily brief, are satisfactory, and his estimates of the comparative merits of the authors he mentions, are, in general, judicious. The MSS. of Benjamin Franklin (not in his works) are from the same source which furnished some for the April number. They will be read with interest by all. The chapter of Lionel Granby does not advance the thread of the story. It describes a visit of the hero to Lamb (Elia Lamb,) and pictures his guests, Coleridge, Godwin, &c. “Odds and Ends” is the title of an attempt to divide mankind into genera and species, such as have not yet been named in any work on natural history. It will furnish amusement and perhaps instruction to the reader. The author (Oliver Oldschool) is an old correspondent of the Messenger. The essay entitled “American Social Elevation,” deserves great commendation. How fatal to the advancement of society too great attention to money-making and politics is proving in this country, is well exhibited, and remedies for this are judiciously suggested. A new account of the origin of Lynch's law is given, which is probably the true one. From the Baltimore American.