In Calmet's Dictionary of the Bible, is found a pictorial representation of the Coins of ancient nations. In the plates giving those of Sidon and Tyrus (both must be viewed as one) is the figure of Astartē, surrounded by the words "_The Sidonian Goddess_" in the old Phœnician characters. She is standing on the fore part of a galley (emblem of Tyrian navigation)--full robed,--the classic measure on her head,--a _branch_ in her right hand (emblem of peace and reward)--and in her left hand _a long Cross_ (emblem of war and punishment)--the proportions are the same as the sacred one used at Mount Calvary:--it is upright, and slightly inclines, like a sceptre, across the inner part of the upper arm of the Goddess. The following are Calmet's remarks on the Coins. "No. 4. ASTARTE,--_holding the Cross_;--standing on a Ship (galley): the measure on her head," &c. "No. 12. ASTARTE standing in her Temple,--_holding the long Cross in her hand_--the _shell_, supposed to allude to the Tyrian dye;--in the exergue,--An Altar (_i. e._ of perpetual fire) burning before the Temple," &c. It will be observed that the above manner of alluding to the Cross of the Tyrian Goddess, is too positive (and with the coins as witnesses) to admit even of a doubt of its being an emblem of the Tyrians, and many centuries before the period contemplated by this volume, viz. 332 B. C. They then possessed the Cross, and among the ancients they appear to have been the only people,--with the exception of the Egyptians, who probably _copied_ it from the Phœnicians, to illustrate their own worship of the Moon,--the Egyptian emblem was thus--(♀)--and this has been falsely called the sacred monogram,--for the Moon is shewn by the circle--and the Cross was her general emblem. Astartē carried a Cross merely as an emblem of _punishment_, as her olive, or palm-branch was emblematical of _reward_,--Solomon worshipped her, and _her attributes_, upon his leaving the ONE GOD:--from David descended the husband of The Saviour's Mother, as, also, the Virgin herself, and _after the Crucifixion, the Cross became the emblem of Salvation_!--and was no more viewed as a Symbol of Idolatry, as in the time of David's Son, or of a degraded death as in the time of Tyberius:--may there not, in this very change of the character of the emblem, in regard to its attribute of worship,--from punishment to _atonement_, and by the converted disciples from the same "chosen people," be a mysterious token of the great precept by the Divine {GOD},--that from Evil cometh Good? We believe every thing tending to the Glory of the {CREATOR}: and even if the _monogram_ used by Constantine did exist centuries before the time of {CHRIST},--but which we deny,--yet viewing that subject with an eye of faith it would be found to illustrate the Prophets, and not detract from them or their Prophecies. We have digressed,--the reader requires no apology,--the subject will speak for us.