The Garden of Cyrus
Encyclopedia
The Garden of Cyrus or The Quincunciall Lozenge
, or Network Plantations of the Ancients, naturally, artificially, mystically considered is a Discourse written by Sir Thomas Browne. It was first published in 1658, along with its diptych
companion, Urn-Burial
. In modern times it has been recognised as Browne's major literary contribution to Hermetic
wisdom.
vision of the interconnection of art
, nature
and the Universe
via numerous symbols including the number five, the quincunx
pattern, the figure X
and Network
pattern. Its slender but compressed pages of imagery, symbolism and associative thought are evidence of Sir Thomas Browne
's complete understanding of a fundamental quest of Hermetic philosophy, namely proof of the wisdom of God
and an early example advocating intelligent design
.
pattern), written from hastily jotted notes, developed into a fractured, breathless, style, a critical examination of draught manuscripts reveals that the rapid procession of visual images from art and nature in Cyrus were written with uncharacteristic haste, in some cases scribbled, as if Browne's imagination were conjuring evidence of the Quincunx
pattern faster than his pen could possibly write. Cyrus may therefore be considered an early example of stream of consciousness and even of altered consciousness writing. Not unlike Lewis Carroll
's Alice in Wonderland
, or the science fiction
of H. G. Wells
,'The Garden of Cyrus' invites the reader to share with its author in a fantastic perspective upon life and reality.
There are two major reasons why The Garden of Cyrus is not as well known in English literature as its companion book, Urn-Burial
. First, due to an editorial and publishing trend, totally against Browne's artistic intentions, it was omitted from many Victorian
editions, its "inexcusable Pythagorisme" little understood by the Victorians, and thus it has been frequently omitted from many editions. Even modern editions from highly reputable publishers, such as Penguin New Directions in 2006 and New York Review Books in May 2012 continue to perpetuate this error.
The second reason for 'the Garden of Cyrus' being little-known is the sheer difficulty of the text itself, which has baffled all but the most determined readers. Stylistically, the Discourse veers abruptly from passages of sublime purple prose to crabbed note-book jotting. It also alludes to what is now considered to be obscure learning, namely hermeticism and the esoteric in general.
However , though difficult to read, The Garden of Cyrus remains an important work of English literature. Primarily because it is a literary example which provides incontrovertible evidence that as late as the mid-seventeenth century, isolated intellectuals and philosophers scattered throughout Europe continued to endorse the tenets of hermetic philosophy.
Lozenge
A lozenge , often referred to as a diamond, is a form of rhombus. The definition of lozenge is not strictly fixed, and it is sometimes used simply as a synonym for rhombus. Most often, though, lozenge refers to a thin rhombus—a rhombus with acute angles of 45°...
, or Network Plantations of the Ancients, naturally, artificially, mystically considered is a Discourse written by Sir Thomas Browne. It was first published in 1658, along with its diptych
Diptych
A diptych di "two" + ptychē "fold") is any object with two flat plates attached at a hinge. Devices of this form were quite popular in the ancient world, wax tablets being coated with wax on inner faces, for recording notes and for measuring time and direction.In Late Antiquity, ivory diptychs with...
companion, Urn-Burial
Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial
Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial, or a Discourse of the Sepulchral Urns lately found in Norfolk, is a work by Sir Thomas Browne, published in 1658 as the first part of a two-part work that concludes with The Garden of Cyrus....
. In modern times it has been recognised as Browne's major literary contribution to Hermetic
Hermeticism
Hermeticism or the Western Hermetic Tradition is a set of philosophical and religious beliefs based primarily upon the pseudepigraphical writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus...
wisdom.
Overview
The Garden of Cyrus is Browne's mysticalMysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
vision of the interconnection of art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
and the Universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
via numerous symbols including the number five, the quincunx
Quincunx
A quincunx is a geometric pattern consisting of five points arranged in a cross, that is five coplanar points, four of them forming a square or rectangle and a fifth at its center...
pattern, the figure X
X
X is the twenty-fourth letter in the basic modern Latin alphabet.-Uses:In mathematics, x is commonly used as the name for an independent variable or unknown value. The usage of x to represent an independent or unknown variable can be traced back to the Arabic word šay شيء = “thing,” used in Arabic...
and Network
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
pattern. Its slender but compressed pages of imagery, symbolism and associative thought are evidence of Sir Thomas Browne
Thomas Browne
Sir Thomas Browne was an English author of varied works which reveal his wide learning in diverse fields including medicine, religion, science and the esoteric....
's complete understanding of a fundamental quest of Hermetic philosophy, namely proof of the wisdom of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and an early example advocating intelligent design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
.
Summary
With its near vertiginous procession of visual imagery and objects, its constant reinforcement of how God geometrizes (via the symbols of the number five and QuincunxQuincunx
A quincunx is a geometric pattern consisting of five points arranged in a cross, that is five coplanar points, four of them forming a square or rectangle and a fifth at its center...
pattern), written from hastily jotted notes, developed into a fractured, breathless, style, a critical examination of draught manuscripts reveals that the rapid procession of visual images from art and nature in Cyrus were written with uncharacteristic haste, in some cases scribbled, as if Browne's imagination were conjuring evidence of the Quincunx
Quincunx
A quincunx is a geometric pattern consisting of five points arranged in a cross, that is five coplanar points, four of them forming a square or rectangle and a fifth at its center...
pattern faster than his pen could possibly write. Cyrus may therefore be considered an early example of stream of consciousness and even of altered consciousness writing. Not unlike Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
's Alice in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures...
, or the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
of H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
,'The Garden of Cyrus' invites the reader to share with its author in a fantastic perspective upon life and reality.
There are two major reasons why The Garden of Cyrus is not as well known in English literature as its companion book, Urn-Burial
Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial
Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial, or a Discourse of the Sepulchral Urns lately found in Norfolk, is a work by Sir Thomas Browne, published in 1658 as the first part of a two-part work that concludes with The Garden of Cyrus....
. First, due to an editorial and publishing trend, totally against Browne's artistic intentions, it was omitted from many Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
editions, its "inexcusable Pythagorisme" little understood by the Victorians, and thus it has been frequently omitted from many editions. Even modern editions from highly reputable publishers, such as Penguin New Directions in 2006 and New York Review Books in May 2012 continue to perpetuate this error.
The second reason for 'the Garden of Cyrus' being little-known is the sheer difficulty of the text itself, which has baffled all but the most determined readers. Stylistically, the Discourse veers abruptly from passages of sublime purple prose to crabbed note-book jotting. It also alludes to what is now considered to be obscure learning, namely hermeticism and the esoteric in general.
However , though difficult to read, The Garden of Cyrus remains an important work of English literature. Primarily because it is a literary example which provides incontrovertible evidence that as late as the mid-seventeenth century, isolated intellectuals and philosophers scattered throughout Europe continued to endorse the tenets of hermetic philosophy.
External links
- Text of Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial and The Garden of Cyrus
- http://levity.com/alchemy/sir_thomas_browne.html Essay on Browne and Alchemy