216 



seems to be confirmed by the examination of the 

 monuments themselves. Mr. Zoega, in order to 

 prove, that, in the hieroglyphical writing, the di- 

 rection in which the figures of men and animals 

 are turned, decides whether the hieroglyphic line 

 ought to be read from the left to the right, or from 

 the right to the left, makes use of certain series 

 of signs, which are repeated in the same monu- 

 ments, and which are sometimes found traced 

 wholly in the same line, sometimes half in one 

 line and half in another : for instance, in the Sal- 

 lustian Obelisk* one of these series presents the 

 figure of a dove, followed by those of a beetle 

 and a knife, all in the same line. This series is 

 repeated on the same column, but the hierogly- 

 phics are distributed in two lines. In following 

 the rule proposed by the learned antiquary, the 

 figures are found in the same order, so that the 

 beetle and the knife still follow the dove. 



This is what Mr. Zoega says in terms less 

 clear-}-. But if, in consequence of this remark, 



* See in Mr. Zoega's Work, cle Origine et Usu Obeliscc- 

 rum, the plate entitled, Obeliscus Sallnstianus Lat. septen- 

 trionale. 



f Nam prater quod hac ratione antecedens Jigura sequenti 

 dorsum obvertere et earn post se relinquere agnoscitur, etiam 

 in repetitis inscriptionibus, dum propter loci angustiam nota 

 aliqua ex superiore spatio ad inferius sic removenda, hoc in ea 

 fieri videmus quce ex ilia nostra sententia ultima erat superioris 

 spatii. (Zoega loco citato.) 



