The Garden of Cyrus

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.

Overview

The Garden of Cyrus is Browne's mystical 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.^{[citation needed]}

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 Quincunx pattern), written in developed jotted notes, and fractured, hasty style, Cyrus may be considered an early example of stream of consciousness and altered consciousness writing. 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. 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 and New Directions continue to perpetuate this error (Urne-Burial and selections, Penguin Great Ideas series, paperback 2006)

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
• [1] Essay on Browne and Alchemy