I. "34 HELIOPOLIS. 
^^jy^*' says unto Peter\ " I will give unto thee 
<— v~— ' THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN:" 
and the author of the book of Revelations, as if 
the sacred symbols of antient Egypt had sug- 
gested the image to his mind, describes the 
Angel of the Resurrection' as having in his hand 
a key. Also, in the sublime prophecy concern- 
ing the second advent of the Messiah, a similar 
allusion may be noticed^: "I am he that 
LIVETII AND WAS DEAD; AND, BEHOLD, I AM 
ALIVE FOR EVERMORE, Amen ; AND HAVE THE 
KEYS OF HELL AND OF DEATH." 
Among the other signs used to express words 
upon this monument, there is one, respecting 
which our information is not attended with the 
same certainty as in the preceding instance, 
although its meaning be not entirely unknown. 
This is the curious monogram, called Hitralpha by 
iiieyuipha. Kircher\ composed of the Greek letters A and A, 
(1) Matthew xvi. 19. 
(2) ** And I saw an anjel come down from heaven, having the key 
of tlie bottomless pit, and a great chain iu his baud." Revel, xx. 1. 
(3) Revel, i. 18. 
(4) " Hie character idem significat, quod 'Aya(»af Auiftui, id est. 
Bonus Genius; et compoiiitur ex. iuitialihns Uteris A et A. Si enim 
prodiicitur A litera, fiat A, quod in se monogrammatic^ contiuet A 
et 
