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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 vievv^ or by 
a mystic allusion to the regimen of the world by 
live 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. 
