1823.] 
These symbols bear evident marks 
of a talismanic or abstractedly mysti- 
eal character; at all events, they are 
not adaptable to any instrumental or 
servile purpose. As 1 have stated, 
they are observed in the hands of the 
priests, in common with the Tau; and 
the three are almost uniformly grouped 
together in hierogly phical inscriptions. 
Sometimes, however, in the latter case, 
a figure not portable is substituted for 
the triangle; and, by the occasional 
inter-convertibility of the two, would 
seem to imply some theological arca- 
num. The substituted figure is a circle, 
with a monad or unit subjected. 
After repeated investigations of these 
curious, 1 may say sublimely simple, 
mathematic forms, the investigation 
has uniformly conducted me to this 
inference; that they are the symbols of 
the Egyptian Trinity,—Osiris, Isis, and 
Horus; and that there were different 
orders of monastics in Egypt, desig- 
nated by the symbols of their patron 
deity. 
Perhaps an analysis of the figures, 
whether combined or distinct, may 
confirm the above conjecture; and, 
although the three curious symbols in 
question are highly wovthy of a sepa- 
rate investigation, k hope to stand 
excused for pointing out their more 
remarkable characteristics. 
Let it be conceded, that the Tau 
wasa sign of Horus. Osiris and the 
Sun were, as we know, synonymous: 
they were the names and visible types 
of one supreme God, Could the uni- 
versal unit be more happily expressed 
than by the unit and the cirele? In fact 
we are assured, by numerous writers 
on Egyptian arcana, that the sun was 
represented by a circle; and indeed 
the symbol in question (a point and 
cirele,) is to this day employed by 
astronomy and chemistry to express 
the same luminary, and the metal 
over which it presides. 
By this interpretation, moreover, we 
shall discover a clue to the inter-com- 
munity | have before noticed between 
the above figure and the triangle. It 
was a favorite dogma of the Evyptian 
philosophy, that, previous to the crea- 
tion of the sun, and before the efflux 
of that physical light of which it is the 
parent, there existed an ¢éternal, all- 
pervading, intellectual fire, which was 
admirably expressed by a triangle, and 
which to this day, in painting, chemis- 
try, and theology, retains its primitive 
Montuty Mac. No. 388, 
On the Egyptian Tau, or Crux Ansata. 
305 
character, the triangle. This, accord- 
ing to the Egyptian cosmology, was 
the god Ptha, the demiurge and hus- 
band of the elder Isis, or primordial 
water; agreeing with the Vulcan and 
the Venus of the Greeks, from whose 
embraces all things arose in new 
created beauty, and first the bright 
visible divinity of life and light. Fire 
and water were the first principles of 
theology, as well as of philosophy, 
among the Egyptians. These formed 
their sacraments, and these their pur- 
gatory trials of initiation. 
The first two figures, the Tau and 
Triangle, being iilustrated, the last 
stands self-explained. By the egg was 
clearly meant the chaos of the Chal- 
dees, Egyptians, and Brahmins,—the 
Arkite receptacle of the cabbalists,and 
the Alcahest or primitive receptacle of 
the alchemists and fire-philosophers. 
Four points issue from the lateral ex- 
tremities of this egg. Could mathe- 
matical form express more appositely 
the four elements proceeding from 
the primitive matrix and receptable of 
all things ? 
The Egyptian trinity was not of a 
pure description. It was tainted with 
the material philosophy of the worship- 
pers, being composed of what they 
termed the male and female agencies 
of nature, and the universal created 
beauty which issued from their union. 
Looking at these symbols mathema- 
tically or chemically, physically or 
theologically, I cannot help consider- 
ing them as inclosing the germ of all 
the various ramifications of Egyptian 
wisdom ; they appear to me redundant 
with the arcana of that extraordinary 
people. Neither can any thing more 
appositely demonstrate the true na- 
ture of the hieroglyphics ; 1 mean that 
discursive property which Proclus has 
assigned to them; and I am much 
mistaken if they do not supply an in- 
strument to solve that hitherto inextri- 
cable knot,—the hieroglyphical lan- 
guage. 
I shall content myself at present 
with remarking, that they comprise 
and concentrate, in an accurate and 
beautiful manner, all that is most vivid, 
and all that is most alluring, in the ab- 
stract systems of Platoand Pythagoras. 
Thus we have the self-centred eter- 
nal monad in the circle and point; the 
dyad in the two lines of the triune 
Tau (per triadem eyressa sunt facies 
luminis secunde ) ; and lastly, the Tetrad 
2R or 
