The Term Aborigines is famous in Antiquity : Tho now an Appellative, 'twas originally a proper Name, given only to certain People of Italy ; and both the Reason and Origin of it are greatly disputed among the Learned : The principal Opinions with regard thereto may be redue'd to four.
The first is that of Aurelius Victor, who will have 'em called Aborigines, q. d. Abeorigines, Vagabonds ; of
2d, S. Jerom says, they were called Aborigines, as having no beginning ; of
Vestibulo adstabant, aliique ab origine Reges.
For, according to the Remark of Servius, ab origine Reges, here stands for Aboriginum Reges. To which it may be added, that 'Pliny, L. IV. calls the Tyrians, Aborigines Gadium, the Aborigines of Cadi x ; as being the Founders thereof.
3dly, Dion. Halicarnassæus takes 'em to have been called Aborigines,
Lastly, Others hold, that Cham, the Saturn of the Egyptians, having gather'd together divers wandring Nations, conduced 'em into Italy, and that these were the Aborigines. Livy affirms, they came from Arcadia, under the Conduct of Oenotrus Son of Lycaon. Genebrard will have 'em the Phænicians, or Canaanites expell'd by Joshua.