Page:Sir Thomas Browne's works, volume 3 (1835).djvu/410

 CHAPTER II.

was this only a form of practice in plantations, but found imitation from high antiquity, in sundry artificial contrivances and manual operations. For (to omit the position of squared stones, cuneatim or wedgewise, 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, conjoined by a middle stone or plinthus; observable in the ruins of Forum Nervæ, the mausoleum of Augustus, the pyramid of Cestius, and the sculpture draughts of the larger pyramids of Egypt. And therefore in the draughts of eminent fabricks, painters do commonly imitate this order in the lines of their description.

In the laureat draught of sculpture and picture, the leaves and foliate works are commonly thus contrived, which is but in imitation of the pulvinaria, and ancient pillow-work, observable in Ionick pieces, about columns, temples and altars. To omit many other analogies in architectonical draughts; which art itself is founded upon fives, as having its subject, and most graceful pieces divided by this number.

The triumphal oval, and civical crowns of laurel, oak, and myrtle, when fully made were plaited after this order. And (to omit the crossed crowns of Christian princes; what figure that was which Anastasius described upon the head of Leo the third; or who first brought in the arched crown;) that of