246 Dr. Wall on the UJe of Symbols. 
attention to the Mythology of iEgypt, which 
opens an important fund of information, with 
refpeCt to the hiftory of religion and fcience, in 
thofe early periods: but we mud not expe <51 to 
find the path free from obfcurity and difficulty. 
In that country, the hieroglyphic mode of wri¬ 
ting was ufed in the greateft extent, and was con¬ 
nected not only with the fciences, but even with 
religion. By this learned people a circle was 
employed to denote perfection, and particularly 
the infinite perfection of the Supreme Being, 
their Ofiris , whofe refidence they conceived to 
be in the great luminary of the day, from whence 
he diflributed the bleffings of light and heat, 
to animate the univerfe. Hence, by a very eafy 
and obvious application, a circle came alfo to be 
employed, as the hieroglyphic of the fun. 
The form of the crefcent moon naturally 
pointed out the fymbol, by which ffie has always 
been reprefented : nor was this planet deftitute 
of a divine inhabitant; but was fuppofed to be 
the palace of the Queen of Heaven, the wife of 
Ofiris, the common mother of mankind. * 
*---Imitataque Lunajn 
Cornua fulferunt --- 
Says Ovid of the ./Egyptian Iiis. Met. Lib. IX. 782. 
That, the idea of the wife of the Supreme Being prefiding 
over the moon, was afterward introduced into Greece, 
appears from a beautiful Medallion of the Samian Juno in 
Mr. Bryant, vol. II. PI. 12. 
To 
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