Aberration the one arises from the figure of the lens or speculum, " the other from the unequal refrangibility of the rays Abgar. of light. of light. This last species is sometimes called the Newtonian, from the name of its discoverer. See Or TICS. ABERRATION of the Planets, is equal to the geocentric motion of the planet, the space it appears to move as seen from the earth, during the time that light employs in passing from the planet to the earth. Thus, in the sun, the aberration in longitude is constantly 20", that being the space moved by the sun, or, which is the same thing, by the earth, in the time of 8' 7", which is the time in which light passes from the sun to the earth. In like manner, knowing the distance of any planet from the earth, by proportion it will be, as the distance of the sun is to the distance of the planet, so is 8'" to the time of light passing from the planet to the earth: then computing the planet's geocentric motion in this time, that will be the aberration of the planet, whether it be in longitude, latitude, right ascension, or declination. (Hutton's Math. Dict.). ABERYSTWITH, a market-town of Cardiganshire, in Wales, seated on the Ridal, near its confluence with the Istwith, where it falls into the sea. It is a rich town, and has a great trade in lead, and a considerable fishery of whiting, cod, and herrings. It was formerly surrounded with walls, and fortified with a castle but both are now in ruins. Its distance from London is 203 miles W. N. W. W. Long. 4. 20. N. Lat. 52. 17. Population 2264 in 1811. ABESTA, or AVESTA, the name of one of the sacred books of the Persian magi, which they ascribe to their great founder Zoroaster. The Abesta is a commentary on two others of their religious books called Zend and Pazend; the three together including the whole system of the Ignicolæ or worshippers of fire. ABETTOR, a law term implying one who encourages another to the performance of some criminal action, or who is art or part in the performance itself. Treason is the only crime in which abettors are excluded by law, every individual concerned being considered as a principal. It is the same with art-and-part in the Scots law. ABEX, a country of Higher Ethiopia, in Africa, bordering on the Red sea, by which it is bounded on the east. It has Nubia or Sennar on the north; Sennar and Abyssinia on the west; and Abyssinia on the south. Its principal towns are Suaquem and Arkeko. It is subject to the Turks, and has the name of the beglerbeglik of Habeleth. It is about five hundred miles in length and one hundred in breadth; is a mountainous country, sandy, barren, and unhealthy, much infested with wild beasts; and the forests abound with ebony trees. ABEYANCE, in Law, the expectancy of an estate. Thus if lands be leased to one person for life, with reversion to another for years, the remainder for years is in abeyance till the death of the lessee. ABGAR, or ABGARUS, a name given to several of the kings of Edessa in Syria. The most celebrated of them was one who, it is said, was contemporary with Jesus Christ; and who having a distemper in his feet, * Ecel and hearing of Jesus's miraculous cures, requested him Hist. lib. if by letter to come and cure him. Eusebius, who beeap. 13. lieved that this letter was genuine, and also an answer Abians. our Saviour is said to have returned to it, has trans- Abar lated them both from the Syriac, and asserts that they were taken out of the archives of the city of Edessa. The first is as follows: "Abgarus, prince of Edessa, "to Jesus the holy Saviour, who hath appeared in the "flesh in the confines of Jerusalem, greeting. I have "heard of thee, and of the cures thou hast wrought "without medicines or herbs. For it is reported thou "makest the blind to see, the lame to walk, lepers to "be clean, devils and unclean spirits to be expelled, "such as have been long diseased to be healed, and "the dead to be raised; all which when I heard concerning thee, I concluded with myself, That either "thou wast a God come down from heaven, or the "Son of God sent to do these things. I have there"fore written to thee, beseeching thee to vouchsafe to come unto me, and cure my disease. For I have "also heard that the Jews use thee ill, and lay snares "to destroy thee. I have here a little city, pleasantly "situated, and sufficient for us both. ABGarus." To this letter, Jesus, it is said, returned an answer by Annanias, Abgarus's courier; which was as follows: "Blessed art thou, O Abgarus! who hast believed in 66 66 66 66 me whom thou hast not seen; for the Scriptures say "of me, They who have seen me have not believed in 66 me, that they who have not seen, may, by believing, "have life. But whereas thou writest to have me come to thee, it is of necessity that I fulfil all things "here for which I am sent; and having finished them, "to return to him that sent me but when I am re"turned to him, I will then send one of my disciples "to thee, who shall cure thy malady, and give life to "thee and thine. JESUS." After Jesus's ascension, Judas, who is also named Thomas, sent Thaddeus, one of the seventy, to Abgarus; who preached the gospel to him and his people, cured him of his disorder, and wrought many other miracles: which was done says Eusebius, A. D. 43.-Though the above letters are acknowledged to be spurious by the candid writers of the church of Rome; several Protestant authors, as Dr Parker, Dr Cave, and Dr Grabe, have maintained that they are genuine, and ought not to be rejected. ABGILLUS, JOHN, surnamed Prester John, was son to a king of the Friscii; and, from the austerity of his life, obtained the name of Prester, or Priest. He attended Charlemagne in his expedition to the Holy Land; but instead of returning with that monarch to Europe, it is pretended that he gained mighty conquests, and founded the empire of the Abyssines, called, from his name, the empire of Prester John. He is said to have written the history of Charlemagne's jourinto the Holy Land, and his own into the Indies; but they are more probably trifling romances, written in the ages of ignorance. ney ABIANS, anciently a people of Thrace, or (according to some authors of Scythia. They had no fixed habitations; they led a wandering life. Their houses were waggons, which carried all their possessions. They lived on the flesh of their herds and flocks, on milk and cheese, chiefly on that of mare's milk. They were unacquainted with commerce. They only exchanged commodities with their neighbours. They possessed lands, but they did not cultivate them. They assigned their agriculture to any who would undertake it, reserving only to themselves a Abians 'Abimelech. a tribute; which they exacted, not with a view to live in affluence, but merely to enjoy the necessaries of life. They never took arms but to oblige those to make good a promise to them by whom it had been broken. They paid tribute to none of the neighbouring states. They deemed themselves exempt from such an imposition; for they relied on their strength and courage, and consequently thought themselves able to repel any invasion. The Abians, we are told, were a people of great integrity. This honourable eulogium is given them by Homer. (Strabo). ABIATHAR, high priest of the Jews, son to Ahimelech, who had borne the same office, and received David into his house. This so enraged Saul, who hated David, that he put Ahimelech to death, and 81 priests; Abiathar alone escaped the massacre. He afterwards was high priest; and often gave King David testimonies of his fidelity, particularly during Absalom's conspiracy, at which time Abiathar followed David, and bore away the ark. But after this, conspiring with Adonijah, in order to raise him to the throne of King David his father; this so exasperated Solomon against him, that he divested him of the priesthood, and banished him, A. M. 3021, before Christ 1014. ABIB, signifying an ear of corn, a name given by the Jews to the first month of their ecclesiastical year, afterwards called Nisan. It commenced at the vernal equinox; and according to the course of the moon, by which their months were regulated, answered to the latter part of our March and beginning of April. ABIDING by WRITINGS, in Scots Law: When a person founds upon a writing alleged to be false, he may be obliged to declare judicially, whether he will stand or abide by it as a true deed. ABIES, the FIR-TREE. Index. See PINUS, BOTANY ABIGEAT, an old law term, denoting the crime of stealing cattle by droves or herds. This crime was severely punished; the delinquent being often condemned to the mines, banishment, and sometimes capitally. ABIHU, brother to Nadab, and son to Aaron. The two former had the happiness to ascend Mount Sinai with their father, and there to behold the glory of God: but afterward putting strange fire into their censers, instead of the sacred fire commanded by God, fire rushing upon them killed them. Though all the people bewailed this terrible catastrophe, Moses forbade Aaron and his two sons Eleazar and Ithamar to join in the lamentation. ABII SCYTHE, taken by Strabo to denote the European Sarmatæ, bordering on the Thracians and Bastance: They were commended by Curtius for their love of justice, and by Ammiesius for their contempt of earthly things. ABIMELECH, king of Gerar, a country of the Philistines, was contemporary with Abraham. This patriarch and his family being there, his wife Sarah, though 90 years of age, was not safe in it; for Abimelech carried her off, and was so enamoured of her, that he resolved to marry her. Abraham did not declare himself Sarah's husband; but gave out she was his sister. But the king being warned in a dream, that she was married to a prophet, and that he should die VOL. I. Part I. if he did not restore her to Abraham, the king obeyed; Abimelech at the same time reproving Abraham for his disinge nuity; who thereupon, among other excuses, said she Abiponians. was really his sister, being born of the same father, though of a different mother. Abimelech afterwards gave considerable presents to Abraham; and a covenant, that of Beersheba, was entered into between them, A. M. 2107. After the death of Abraham, there being a famine in the neighbouring countries, Isaac his son also withdrew into Gerar, which was then likewise governed by a king called ABIMELECH, probably the successor of the former. Here Rebekah's beauty forced her husband to employ Abraham's artifice. Abimelech discovering that they were nearly related, chid Isaac for calling his wife his sister; and at the same time forbade all his subjects, upon pain of death, to do the least injury to Isaac or Rebekah. Isaac's prosperity lost him the king's friendship, and he was desired to go from among them. He obeyed; but Abimelech afterwards entered into a covenant with him, A. M. 2200. ABIMELECH, the natural son of Gideon, by his concubine. His violent acts and death are recorded in Judges, chap. ix. A M. 2769. ABINGDON, a market-town in Berkshire, situated on a branch of the Thames, derives its name from an ancient abbey. The streets, which are well paved, terminate in a spacious area, in which the market is held; and in the centre of this area is the markethouse, which is supported on lofty pillars, with a large hall of freestone above, in which the summer assizes for the county are held, and other public business done, the Lent assizes being held at Reading. It has two churches; one dedicated to St Nicholas, and the other to St Helena: the latter is adorned with a spire, and both are said to have been erected by the abbots of Abingdon. Here are also two hospitals, one for six, and the other for thirteen poor men, and as many poor women; a free school; and a charity school. town was incorporated by Queen Mary. It sends two members to parliament, who are chosen by the inhabitants at large not receiving alms. Its great manufactures are sail-cloth, sacking, and especially malt, large quantities of which are sent by water to London. It is seven miles south of Oxford, 47 east of Gloucester, and 55 west of London. This town is supposed by Bishop Gibson to be the place called, in the Saxon annals, Cloveshoo. W. Long. 1. 12. N. Lat. 51. 42. Population 4801 in 1811. The ABINTESTATE, in Civil Law, is applied to a person who inherits the right of one who died intestate or without making a will. See INTESTATE. ABIPONIANS, a tribe of American Indians, who formerly inhabited the district of Chaks in Paraguay; but the hostilities of the Spaniards have now obliged them to remove southward into the territory lying between Santa Fe and St Jago. The only account we have of them is that published by M. Dobrizhoffer in 1785. This gentleman, who lived seven years in their country, informs us that they are not numerous, the whole nation not much exceeding 5000; for which he assigns as a reason an unnatural custom among their women of sometimes destroying their own children, from motives of jealousy lest their husbands should take other mates during the long time they give suck, E which tion Abiponians which is not less than two years. They are naturally white, but, by exposure to the air and smoke, become Ablacta of a brown colour. They are a strong and hardy race of people; which our author attributes to their marrying so late, an Abiponian seldom or never thinking of marriage till 30 years of age. They are greatly celebrated on account of their chastity and other virtues ; though, according to our author, they have no knowledge of a Deity. They make frequent incursions into the territories of the Spaniards, mounted on the horses which run wild in those parts. They have a kind of order of chivalry for their warriors; and are so formidable, that 100 of their enemies will fly before ten of these horsemen. The hatred which these savages, whose manners, though rude and uncultivated, are in many respects pure and virtuous, bear to the Spaniards, is invincible. "These pretended Christians," says our author," who are the scum of the Spanish nation, practise every kind of fraud and villany among these poor barbarians; and their corrupt and vicious morals are so adapted to prejudice the Abiponians against the Christian religion, that the Jesuit missionaries have, by a severe law, prohibited any Spaniard from coming, without a formal permission, into any of their colonies." -From his account of the success of the Jesuits in converting them to Christianity, however, it does not appear that they have been able to do more than bribe them to a compliance with the ceremonies of the Popish superstition; so that in general they are quite ignorant and uncivilized; a most striking instance of which is, that in counting they can go no further than three; and all the art of the Jesuits to teach them the simplest use and expression of numbers has proved unsuccessful. ABIRAM, a seditious Levite, who, in concert with Korab and Dathan, rebelled against Moses and Aaron, in order to share with them in the government of the people; when Moses ordering them to come with their censers before the altar of the Lord, the earth suddenly opened under their feet, and swallowed up them and their tents; and at the same instant fire came from heaven, and consumed 250 of their followers. Numb. chap. xvi. ABISHAI, son of Zeruiah, and brother to Joab, was one of the celebrated warriors who flourished in the reign of David: be killed with his own hand 300 men, with no other weapon but his lance; and slew a Philistine giant, the iron of whose spear weighed 300 shekels. 1 Sam. chap. xxvi. 2 Sam. chap. xxiii. ABJURATION, in our ancient customs, implied an oath, taken by a person guilty of felony, and who had fled to a place of sanctuary, whereby he solemnly engaged to leave the kingdom for ever. ABJURATION is now used to signify the renouncing, disclaiming, and denying upon oath, the Pretender to have any kind of right to the crown of these kingdoms. ABJURATION of Heresy, the solemn recantation of any doctrine as false and wicked. ABLACTATION, or weaning a child from the breast. See WEANING. A BLACTATION, among the ancient gardeners, the same with what is now called GRAFTING by approach, is a method of engrafting, by which the scion of one tree being for some time united to the stock of another, is afterwards cut off, and, as it were, weaned from the parent tree. 3 ABLAI, a country of Great Tartary, the inhabi tants of which are called Buchars or Buchares. See ABLAY. ABLACQUEATION, an old term in Gardening, signifies the operation of removing the earth, and baring the roots of trees in winter, to expose them more freely to the air, rain, snows, &c. ABLANCOURT. See PERROT. ABLATIVE, in Grammar, the sixth case of Latin nouns. The word is formed from auferre, " to take away.' Priscian also calls it the comparative case; as serving among the Latins, for comparing, as well as taking away. The ABLATIVE is opposite to the DATIVE; the first expressing the action of taking away, and the latter that of giving. In English, French, &c. there is no precise mark whereby to distinguish the ablative from other cases; and we only use the term in analogy to the Latin. Thus, in the two phrases, the magnitude of the city, and he spoke much of the city; we say, that of the city in the first is genitive, and in the latter ablative; because it would be so, if the two phrases were expressed in Latin. ers. The question concerning the Greek ablative has been the subject of a famous literary war between two great grammarians, Frischlin and Crusius; the former maintaining, and the latter opposing, the reality of it. The dispute still subsists among their respective followThe chief reason alleged by the former is, that the Roman writers often joined Greek words with the Latin prepositions which govern ablative cases, as well as with nouns of the same case. To which their opponents answer, that the Latins anciently had no ablative themselves; but instead thereof, made use, like the Greeks, of the dative case; till at length they formed an ablative, governed by prepositions, which were not put before the dative: that, at first, the two cases had always the same termination, as they still have in many instances: but that this was afterwards changed in certain words. It is no wonder then, that the Latins sometimes join prepositions which govern an ablative case, or nouns in the ablative case, with Greek datives, since they were originally the same; and that the Greek dative has the same effect as the Latin ablative. ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE, in Grammar, is a phrase detached or independent of the other parts of a sentence or discourse. In the Latin language it is frequent, and it has been adopted by the moderns. ABLAY, in Geography, a country of Great Tartary, governed by a Calmuck chief, but subject to Russia, to obtain its protection. It lies east of the river Irtisch, and extends 500 leagues along the southern frontiers of Siberia, from E. Long. 72° to 83°. N. Lat. from 51° to 54°. ABLE, or ABEL, THOMAS, chaplain to Queen Catherine, consort to Henry VIII. distinguished himself by his zeal in opposing the proceedings against that unfortunate princess for a divorce. For this purpose he wrote a piece, entitled " Tractatus de non dissolvendo Henrici et Catharinæ matrimonio, i. e. "A Treatise proving that the marriage of King Henry and Queen Catharine ought not to be dissolved." But the title of the book, according to Bishop Tanner, was Invicta Able Abner. Invicta Veritas. He took the degree of bachelor of arts at Oxford on the 4th of July 1513, and that of master of arts on the 27th of July 1516. In 1534 he fell under a prosecution for being concerned in the affair of Elizabeth Barton, called the Holy Maid of Kent. This was an infamous impostor, suborned by the monks to use strange gesticulations, exhibit fictitious miracles, and to feign the gift of prophecy; and so well did she act her part, that she drew some persons of respectability to her interest: but being detected, she was condemned and executed, after discovering the names of her principal accomplices and instigators. On her account Able was charged with misprision of treason, by stat. 25 Hen. VIII.; and being also one of those who denied the king's supremacy over the church, he was apprehended and imprisoned; during which time his confinement was so rigorous, that the keeper of Newgate was committed to Marshalsea prison for suffering him to go out upon bail. He was afterwards banged, drawn, and quartered, at Smithfield in 1540. Bouchier gives him the character of a very learned man; and tells us, that he used to teach the queen music and the learned languages. ABLECTI, in Roman antiquity, a select body of soldiers chosen from among those called EXTRAORDI NARII. ABLEGMINA, in Roman antiquity, those choice parts of the entrails of victims which were offered in zacrifice to the gods. They were sprinkled with flour, and burnt upon the altar; the priests pouring some wine on them. ABLOE, in Geography, a town of Little Tartary, which lies between the river Dnieper and the Black sea. E. Long. 33. 15. N. Lat. 46. 20. ABLUENTS, in Medicine, the same with diluters or DILUENTS. ABLUTION, in a general sense, signifies the washing or purifying something with water. in use ABLUTION, in a religious sense, a ceremony among the ancients, and still practised in several parts of the world: it consisted in washing the body, which was always done before sacrificing, or even entering their houses. Ablutions appear to be as old as any ceremonies, and external worship itself. Moses enjoined them; the heathens adopted them; and Mahomet and his followers have continued them: thus they have got footing among most nations, and make a considerable part of most established religions.-The Egyptian priests had their diurnal and nocturnal ablutions; the Grecians their sprinklings; the Romans their lustrations and lavations; the Jews their washing of hands and feet, beside their baptisms.-The ancient Christians had their ablutions before communion; which the Romish church still retain before their mass, sometimes after. The Syrians, Copts, &c. have their solemn washings on Good Friday: the Turks their greater and lesser ablutions; their Ghast and Wodou, their Aman, Taharat, &c. ABNER, the son of Ner, father-in-law to Saul, and general of all his forces, served him on all occasions with fidelity and courage. After the death of that prince, Abner set Ishbosheth, Saul's son, on the throne. A war breaking out between the tribe of Judah, who had elected David king, and Israel, Abner marched against that prince with the flower of his troops, but was defeated. Abner afterward, being disgusted, went over to David, and induced the chiefs of the ar- Abner my and the elders of Israel to declare for him. He was received by David with every mark of affection, which Aboccis. gave offence to Joab, by whom he was insidiously put to death, A. M. 2956. ABNOBA, now ABENOW, in Geography, a long range of mountains in Germany, extending from the Rhine to the Necker, and having different names according to the different countries through which they stretch. About the river Maine they are called the Oden or Otenwald; between Hesse and Franconia, the Spessart; and about the duchy of Wirtemberg, where the Danube takes its rise, they receive the name of Baar. ABO, a maritime town of Finland, situated on the promontory formed by the gulfs of Finland and Bothnia, 120 miles north-east from Stockholm, in E. Long. 22. 7. and N. Lat. 60. 28. It belonged formerly to Sweden, but was transferred to Russia with the province of Finland in 1809. It is built on both sides of the river Aurajocki, which have a communication by a wooden bridge. The streets and lanes of Abo amount to 102; the number of houses to 1100, which in 1780 contained above 2000 families. In 1791 the number of inhabitants was 11,500. A gymnasium was established at Abo by Gustavus Adolphus in 1626, which was converted by Queen Christina, in 1640, into an academy or university, in which are now taught anatomy, natural history, chemistry, and economics. The library founded by Queen Christina consists of above 10,000 volumes, besides manuscripts, ancient coins, medals, &c. The school of anatomy is in considerable repute; and enjoys, it is said, one very extraordinary privilege. By a particu lar regulation, all persons who hold lands or pensions from the crown are bound to leave their bodies to be dissected for the instruction of the students. The trade of Abo is considerable. The exports consist of iron, copper, pitch, tar, deals, &c. The imports are tobacco, coffee, sugar, wine, salt, grain, hemp, and spiceries. In Abo are manufactured silk ribbands, fustian, sail-cloth, leather, tiles, watches and clocks, paper, sugar, and tobacco. The plantations of tobacco in this neighbourhood produce not less than 152,000 cwt. annually. (Acerbi's Travels). ABO-HUS, or ABO-SLOT, a very ancient castle in Finland, situated at the mouth of the river Aura, was the residence of Duke John, and the prison of King Eric in the 16th century. It is at present employed as a magazine for corn and gunpowder, and as a prison for state offenders. ABOARD, the inside of a ship. Hence any person who enters a ship is said to go aboard: but when an enemy enters in the time of battle, he is said to board; a phrase which always implies hostility.-To fall aboard of, is to strike or encounter another ship when one or both are in motion, or to be driven upon a ship by the force of the wind or current.-Aboard-main-tack, the order to draw the main-tack, i. e. the lower-corner of the main-sail, down to the CHESS-TREE. ABOASAR, in Geography, a village in Lower ABOCCIS, in Ancient Geography, the Abuncis of ABOCRO, Abocro Abomasus. coast. tion Aborigines. ABOMINATION, a term used in Scripture with Abominaregard to the Hebrews, who, being shepherds, are said to have been an abomination to the Egyptians, because they sacrificed the sacred animals of that people, as oxen, goats, sheep, &c. which the Egyptians esteemed as abominations, or things unlawful. The term is also applied in the sacred writings to idolatry and idols, because the worship of idols is in itself an abominable thing, and at the same time ceremonies observed by idolaters were always attended with licentiousness and other odious and abominable actions. The abomination ABOCRO, or ABORREL, in Geography, a town near the river Ankobar or Cobre, on the African Gold It gives name to a republican province. ABOLA, in Geography, a division of the Agow, in Abyssinia, is a narrow valley, through which runs a river of the same name, whose waters receive many tributary streams from the lofty, rugged, and woody mountains that form the valley. In none of the rivers are any fish found, which Bruce ascribes to their being dried up in the summer, and great rapidity in winter. ABOLITION, implies the act of annulling, destroying, making void, or reducing to nothing. In our law, it signifies the repealing any law or statute. The leave given by a prince or judge to a criminal accuser to desist from farther prosecution of the accused, is in the most appropriate sense denominated abolition. ABOLITION is particularly used among civilians, for remitting the punishment of a crime. It is, in this sense, a kind of amnesty; the punishment, not the infamy, is taken off. : ABOLITION, in the Roman law, is the annulling a prosecution, or legal accusation and in this sense, it is different from amnesty; for, in the former, the accusation might be renewed by the same prosecutor, but in the latter, it was extinguished for ever. Within 30 days after a public abolition, the same accuser, with the prince's license, was allowed to renew the charge; after a private abolition, another accuser might renew it, but the same could not. Abolition was also used for expunging a person's name from the public list of the accused, hung up in the treasury. It was either public, as that under Augustus, when all the names which had long hung up, were expunged at once; or private, when it was done at the motion of one of the parties. Abolition of debts, according to the laws of the Theodosian code, was sometimes granted to those who were indebted to the fiscus. A medal of the emperor Adrian represents that prince with a sceptre in his left hand, and a lighted torch in his right, with which he sets fire to several papers in presence of the people, who testify their joy and gratitude by lifting up their hands towards heaven. The legend on the medal is, Reliqua vetera H. s. nummis abolita. ABOLLA, in antiquity, a warm kind of garment, lined or doubled, worn by the Greeks and Romans, chiefly out of the city, in following the camp.-Critics and antiquaries are greatly divided as to the form, use, kinds, &c. of this garment. Papias makes it a species of the toga, or gown; but Nonnius, and most others, suppose it to be a species of the pallium, or cloak. The abolla seems rather to have stood opposed to the toga, which was a garment of peace, as the abolla was of war; at least Varro and Martial place them in this opposite light. There seem to have been different kinds of abolle, appropriated to different characters and occasions. Even kings appear to have used the abolla: Caligula was offended with King Ptolemy for appearing at the shows in a purple abolla, the splendour of which drew the eyes of the spectators from the emperor to himself. ABOMASUS, ABOMASUM, or ABOMASIUS, names of the fourth stomach of ruminating animals. It is in the abomasus of calves and lambs that the runnet or earning is formed wherewith milk is curdled. See ANATOMY, Part II. 2 of desolation, foretold by the prophet Daniel, is supposed to imply the statue of Jupiter Olympius, which Antiochus Epiphanes caused to be placed in the temple of Jerusalem. And the abomination of desolation, mentioned by the Evangelists, signifies the ensigns of the Romans, during the last siege of Jerusalem by Titus, on which the figures of their gods and emperors were embroidered, and placed upon the temple after it was taken. ABON, ABONA, or A BONIS, in Ancient Geography, a town and river of Albion. The town, according to Camden, is Abingdon; and the river, Abhon or Avon. But by Antonine's Itinerary, the distance is nine miles from the Venta Silurum, or Caer-went; others, therefore, take the town to be Porsbut, at the mouth of the river Avon, near Bristol. Abbon or Avon, in the Celtic language, denotes a river. ABORAS, in Ancient Geography, by Xenophon called Araxes, a river of Mesopotamia, which flows into the Euphrates at Circesium. In the negociation between Dioclesian and Narses, near the end of the third century, it was fixed as the boundary between the Roman and Persian empires. ABORIGINES, in history, (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Livy, Virgil); originally a proper name, given to a certain people in Italy, who inhabited the ancient Latium, or country now called Campagna di Roma. In this sense the Aborigines are distinguished from the Janigenæ, who, according to the false Berosus, inhabited the country before them; from the Siculi, whom they expelled; from the Grecians, from whom they descended; from the Latins, whose name they assumed after their union with Æneas and the Trojans; lastly, from the Ausonii, Volsci, Oenotrii, &c. neighbouring nations in other parts of the country. Whence this people came by the appellation is much disputed. St Jerome says, they were so called, as being absque origine, the primitive planters of the country after the flood: Dionysius of Halicarnassus accounts for the name, as denoting them the founders of the race of inhabitants of that country: others think them so called as being originally Arcadians, who claimed to be earth-born, and not descended from any people. Aurelius Victor suggests another opinion, viz. that they were called Aborigines, q. d. Aberrigines, from ab, "from,” and errare, "to wander ;" as having been before a wandering people. Pausanias rather thinks they were thus called az ogiri, tains; which opinion seems confirmed by Virgil, who, speaking of Saturn, the legislator of this people, says, "from moun Is The Aborigines were either the original inhabitants of the country, settled there by Janus, as some imagine; |