she was born, we learn in the Stele of her tomb, in the seventh
month of the year--the month beginning with the Inundation of the Nile.
Of which month the presiding Goddess was Hathor, the Goddess of her own
house, of the Antefs of the Theban line--the Goddess who in various
forms symbolises beauty, and pleasure, and resurrection. Again, in
this seventh month--which, by later Egyptian astronomy began on October
28th, and ran to the 27th of our November--on the seventh day the
Pointer of the Plough just rises above the horizon of the sky at Thebes.

"In a marvellously strange way, therefore, are grouped into this
woman's life these various things. The number seven; the Pole Star,
with the constellation of seven stars; the God of the month, Hathor,
who was her own particular God, the God of her family, the Antefs of
the Theban Dynasty, whose Kings' symbol it was, and whose seven forms
ruled love and the delights of life and resurrection. If ever there
was ground for magic; for the power of symbolism carried into mystic
use; for a belief in finites spirits in an age which knew not the
Living God, it is here.

"Remember, too, that this woman was skilled in all the science of her
time. Her wise and cautious father took care of that, knowing that by
her own wisdom she must ultimately combat the intrigues of the
Hierarchy. Bear in mind that in old Egypt the science of Astronomy
began and was developed to an extraordinary height; and that Astrology
followed Astronomy in its progress. And it is possible that in the
later developments of science with regard to light rays, we may yet
find that Astrology is on a scientific basis. Our next wave of
scientific thought may deal with this. I shall have something special
to call your minds to on this point presently. Bear in mind also that
the Egyptians knew sciences, of which today, despite all our
advantages, we are profoundly ignorant. Acoustics, for instance, an
exact science with the builders of the temples of Karnak, of Luxor, of
the Pyramids, is today a mystery to Bell, and Kelvin, and Edison, and
Marconi. Again, these old miracle-workers probably understood some
practical way of using other forces, and amongst them the forces of
light that at present we do not dream of. But of this matter I shall
speak later. That Magic Coffer of Queen Tera is probably a magic box
in more ways than one. It may--possibly it does--contain forces that
we wot not of. We cannot open it