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which served as real ciphers, were invented at a 

 time when the mode of periodical series was al- 

 ready applied to the calendar. Among' the 

 Egyptians, the hieroglyphics of numbers appear 

 to be independant of those of the lunar phases. 

 According to Horapollo, the image of a star 

 indicated the number five, either on account of 

 the diverging rays, which the stars of the first 

 and second magnitude present to the view, or by 

 a mystic allusion to the regimen of the world by 

 five stars. The representative of ten was a hori- 

 zontal line placed on a perpendicular line. A 

 distinguished person, who had the satisfaction of 

 examining on the spot the monuments of Upper 

 and Lower Egypt, who has carefully drawn and 

 described them, and who from his situation was 

 enabled to compare more hieroglyphics than any 

 antiquary of our own times, M. Jomard, is now 

 employed on an extremely interesting work re- 

 specting the system of numeration of the Egyp- 

 tians. 



