_Southern Literary Messenger_.—He who assumes to himself the province of amusing and instructing mankind for “a consideration,” is amenable at all times to just criticisms. The publisher of a newspaper or journal of any kind, should never feel _hurt_, as a caterer for the public appetite, if some of those to whom they minister should growl and find fault. He ought not to claim pre-emption over all other men, but should be satisfied if he occasionally received an approving nod. It is always a strong evidence of a want of force of mind to fly in a passion at the suggestions of a friend, when they are disposed to disapprove of our acts, although they may be unjust. We make these preliminary remarks in allusion to a hasty notice we took of the April number of the Messenger, which the publisher was polite enough to send us. Our time is generally much occupied, and we perhaps gave that number and others which have been occasionally handed us by a friend, rather a hasty perusal. We felt _then_, as we do _now_, that the editor's criticisms were unnecessarily, perhaps, strictly severe in some instances. The eagle who towers above all other birds, and even dares to look upon the sun, would not, unless hard pressed, condescend to notice the earthly flutterings of a tomtit—he aspires to higher game. We may have done the editor injustice; and we hardly expected him to send us another number—but perhaps, in his youthful days, he has read the fable of the gnat and the ox—whether he did or did not, we feel obliged to him for the May number. We have always freely accorded to Mr. White almost unrivalled excellence as a printer, and we now as freely accord to him the most unqualified praise for the _matter_ as well as the manner of his last number. From the Columbia (S. C.) Times. We acknowledge the receipt of the May number of that chaste and interesting publication, the “Southern Literary Messenger,” published by T. W. White, Richmond, Va. It undoubtedly contains more matter, for the price, than any other southern publication, and in style, is altogether unlike the mawkish effusions denominated “literary” with which our community is so liberally inundated. From the New Hampshire Patriot. The _Southern Literary Messenger_, for April, has just reached us, and though rather late in the day, we cannot omit observing that it is excellent—well sustaining the high reputation of its predecessors. We renewedly commend the work to the favor of our literary friends, as one every way deserving their patronage—in many respects unrivalled by any similar publication in the country. From the Winchester Virginian.