THE ABORIGINES OF AUSTRALIA : THEIR ETHNIC 

 POSITION AND RELATIONS. By JOHN FRASER, 

 B.A., LL.D., F.R.S. of New South Wales. 



TJHE aborigines of Australia present a wide and inter- 

 esting field for ethnographical study. The field is as 

 yet to a large extent unexamined and unexplored ; for, although 

 there are some books specially written about our aborigines, 

 their customs and language, and although many of our older 

 colonists can tell much about their habits, yet the subject 

 has scarcely attained to the dignity of a scientific study. I 

 purpose to-night to confine myself to a single department of 

 this subject, the position and relation which our aborigines 

 hold to the rest of mankind ; and to take my arguments 

 only from what I may be permitted to call the common 

 religiousness of nations. And as I am a colonist on a 

 visit to this country, and have not here opportunities and 

 facilities for a complete treatment of my theme, I shall ask 

 your permission to refer to and quote a portion of my past 

 labours in this field, as published in vol. xvi. of the Journal of 

 the Transactions of the Eoyal Society of New South Wales. 

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