And if _Jordan_ were but _Jaar Eden_, that is, the River of _Eden, Genesar_ but _Gansar_ or the prince of Gardens; and it could be made out, that the Plain of _Jordan_ were watered not comparatively, but causally, and because it was the Paradise of God, as the learned _Abramas_[125] hinteth, he was not far from the Prototype and originall of Plantations. And since even in Paradise it self, the tree of knowledge was placed in the middle of the Garden, whatever was the ambient figure; there wanted not a centre and rule of decussation. Whether the groves and sacred Plantations of Antiquity, were not thus orderly placed, either by _quaternio's_, or quintuple ordinations, may favourably be doubted. For since they were so methodical in the constitutions of their temples, as to observe the due scituation, aspect, manner, form, and order in Architectonicall relations, whether they were not as distinct in their groves and Plantations about them, in form and _species_ respectively unto their Deities, is not without probability of conjecture. And in their groves of the Sunne this was a fit number, by multiplication to denote the dayes of the year; and might Hieroglyphically speak as much, as the mystical _Statua_ of _Janus_[126] in the Language of his fingers. And since they were so critical in the number of his horses, the strings of his Harp, and rayes about his head, denoting the orbes of heaven, the Seasons and Moneths of the Yeare: witty Idolatry would hardly be flat in other appropriations. [125] Vet. Testamenti Pharus. [126] _Which King_ Numa _set up with his fingers so disposed that they numerically denoted 365._ Pliny. CHAPTER II Nor was this only a form of practise in Plantations, but found imitation from high Antiquity, in sundry artificial contrivances and manual operations. For to omit the position of squared stones, _cuncatim_ or _wedgwise_ in the walls of _Roman_ and _Gothick_ buildings; and the _lithostrata_ or figured pavements of the ancients, which consisted not all of square stones, but were divided into triquetrous segments, honeycombs, and sexangular figures, according to _Vitruvius_; The squared stones and bricks in ancient fabricks, were placed after this order. And two above or below conjoyned by a middle stone or _Plinthus_, observable in the ruines of _Forum Nervæ,_ the _Mausoleum_ of _Augustus_, the Pyramid of _Cestius_, and the sculpture draughts of the larger Pyramids of Ægypt. And therefore in the draughts of eminent fabricks, Painters do commonly imitate this order in the lines of their description.