The Garden of Cyrus

Garden of Cyrus, The,
by Sir T. Browne , the companion piece to Hydriotaphia , published 1658 , treats of the occurrence of the quincunx (:·:) or lozenge and the number five in man-made objects, primarily the plantations of the ancients, and then their buildings, other artefacts, and customs, in plants, in animals, and in traditional philosophy and theology. He chooses his ‘bye and barren theme’ partly to please the dedicatee, an ardent horticulturist, partly because ‘Paradise succeeds the Grave’. By intertwining many heterogeneous observations he playfully demonstrates his ability to elaborate and digress.