304 
triangle. ° With them the number zen, 
arranged in the form of a pyramid, 
. . 
implied unity and perfection. It was 
an emblem of the Tetrachtys; for it 
contained the monadic apex, the dyad 
proceeding from it, the triad formed 
from the union of both, and the sacred 
quaternary, which, according to the 
same school, implied the junction or 
incarnation of all three with the mate- 
rial world. 
Now it is a eurious circumstance, 
that all the modern European nations 
still represent the ancient sacred and 
perfect number, viz. ten, by a cross; 
and, still more so, that the Chinese 
should represent it by the same cha- 
racter, which moreover implies perfee- 
tion. Would it not, therefore, be more 
consisteut with probability to derive 
the name of Osiris from Oshiri (ten), 
than trace it to the very questionable 
sources whence it is generally sup- 
posed to originate? 
Were I to pursue the subject far- 
ther, it would lead more deeply into 
ihe ‘Pythagoreau theory of numbers 
than would be strictly cousistest with 
the purpose in hand. &t may not, how- 
ever, be irrelevant briefly to remark, 
that the numbers 3, 7, and 10, were 
held in wore.than ordinary veneration 
by the numerical mystics, and tre- 
quently applied to the purposes of 
theurgy, alchemy, and astrolozy. 
The two arts of which the last men- 
tioned are corruptions, chemistry and 
astronomy, have, in a singular man- 
ner, preserved the memorials of this 
curious cabala. In the Triangle aud 
the Yau, Chemistry still retains the 
hicroglyphics of that land which was 
her cradle, and supplied ber. name, 
Nor has Astronomy forgot the symbols 
of her Egypt, her‘ nursing mother.” 
'Yhe old community of symbol between 
the sister arts remains still undivorced, 
and the symbol of the metal is at once 
the type of the planet which composed 
the metal, and of the diurnal periods 
which those planets ruled. Thus the 
Tau composes the chemical character 
for mercury,* by combination with a 
* The monogram of the name of Taut, 
formed by three Tavs united at the feet, 
py ae forms to this day “ the 
1 
jewer of the royal arch”. among frec- 
masons, 
On the Egyptian Tau, or Crux Ansata. 
[Nov. 1, 
circle and a crescent, which may, in fact, 
be interpreted to mean universal spi- 
rit, or the spirit of gold (a circle), and 
silver (a erescent); ideas no less fami- 
liar than favorite with the alchemists. 
The sign of Venus is in reality a Crux 
Ansata, or cross with a handle: it is 
composed of across andacirele. Now 
the union of a right line and a circle 
was a diagram intimating love; and, 
according to Kircher, the Greek letter 
, originally a bieroglyphie, is some- 
times found upon medals and intaglios, 
implying P/ysis, or the recipient pro- 
perty of nature; while united with the 
Tau, OT, it composed the characteris- 
tic of Ptha, the active er moving spirit 
of the world. -Now, the elder Venus 
was certainly intended to represent 
that capacity of nature which the phi- 
losophers call indiscriminately love or 
attraction ; and the character assigned 
to the planet Venus seems evidently 
intended to represent that capacity ; 
more particularly if (as some contend) 
the Tau, which composes a part of it, 
was a type of the generative faculty: 
Instead of a circle, sometimes a trian- 
gle, is found substituted on the top of 
the Tau; by which it would seem that 
the universal mundane fire of the early 
philosophers was implied. Horus, to 
whom the Tuu was devoted, was (like 
Eros among the Greeks,) the son of 
the elder Venus, or universal nature. 
He was the god of love, of life, and 
lizht; and is identifiable with that 
golden-winged and cherubic form 
which (according to Aristophanes,) 
arose to light at the morn of things 
from the primordial egg of chaos. 
These antique characters, so curi- 
ously preserved, would alone induce 
us to infer, that the Crua Ansata was 
a sacred memento, and notakey. As 
proofs, they may indeed be thought 
supererogatory, though not unworthy 
attention as curious coincidences. If, 
indeed, there were any dearth of evi- 
dence against the theory opposed, I 
might boldly throw aside the whole 
deleusive argument on entering the 
arena, aud rest the “ arbitriment” 
upon circumstances hitherto ‘mis- 
stated, and which have, I believe, 
hitherto escaped attention. 
There are two other symbols seen on 
paintings and sculptures in the hands 
of the Egyptian priests, almost as fre- 
quently as the Crux Ansata: one an 
egg, With four points issuing from the 
sides; the other a triangle; and they 
are sustained by similar handles. 
These 
