Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from Getty Research Institute https://archive.org/details/treatiseontheoryOOrola A TREATISE ON THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF THE ART OF FENCING. % V. -• * • m. W Mm'. \ 'S '• • • HO" . ■ , •* V • ... T *10 VS lk I- 1 ' * f :•§ I $ I ? ! I ■? '4 A TREATISE ON THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF THE ART OF FENCING, ILLUSTRATED WITH TWELVE HIGHLY FINISHED PLATES, AND CONTINUED BY EASY AND PROGRESSIVE LESSONS, FROM THE SIMPLEST POSITION TO THE MOST COMPLICATED MOVEMENTS. BY GEORGE ROLAND, FENCING-MASTER AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY, EDINBURGH. “ For, trained abroad his arms to wield, “ Fitz-James’s blade was sword and shield, “ He practised every pass and ward, “ To thrust, to strike, to feint, and guard.” Sir Waller Scott. EDINBURGH: PRINTED FOR ARCHIL CONSTABLE AND COMPANY", EDINBURGH HURST, ROBINSON, AND COMPANY, LONDON : And So/d by the Author at his Fencing Rooms , Royal Manege , Nicholson Street , Edinburgh. 1823 DEDICATION. TO MY PUPILS. My Lords and Gentlemen, It is now three years since I left England for the first time in my life, and, I must say, with a heavy heart, at quitting so many pu¬ pils who, without flattery, had done me ho¬ nour, by the progress they had made under my tuition, and by the gratifying testimonies of friendship displayed at all times by them towards myself and my family. a \ 1 dedication. This feeling of pride for the advancement made by my earliest eleves , and gratitude for the marked attentions which I have received from them, cannot be effaced from my recol¬ lection ; and I am convinced it will give them pleasure to know, that, during my short resi¬ dence in Edinburgh, 1 have formed a nume¬ rous and most highly respectable Academy, in which are to be found young amateurs, wlio, from their own natural intelligence and indefatigable industry, have arrived at a de¬ gree of excellence, which my most sanguine expectations could not have represented pos¬ sible in so short a period. Since, however, the improvement made by the Pupil is closely connected with the pro¬ fessional character of the Master, to dwell longer on the subject may appear like egotism. 1 will, therefore, come at once to the main object of the present Address. DEDICATION. vii It is to place under the protection of my Scotch, and former English pupils, a Work on Fencing, undertaken at their flattering sug¬ gestions ; a work which, with all its imperfec¬ tions, will, I hope, be deemed not totally un¬ worthy of their countenance. As practical utility has been my chief ob¬ ject in the composition of it, I trust it will be found as simple and clear as the nature of the subject allows ;—that it will prove not only useful to the beginner, but interesting to the more accomplished fencer. To you, my Lords and Gentlemen, I there¬ fore consign this Treatise, with the pleasurable hope of its affording you some gratification; since it contains those principles, of the just¬ ness of which, you have ever, in the most flattering manner, expressed yourselves satis¬ fied. vni DEDICATION. With this feeling, and with sincere and heartfelt thanks for your continued and mark¬ ed kindness and attention, I have the honour to remain, My Lords and Gentlemen, Your very obedient and very faithful servant, George Roland. Hoyal Academy, 1 Edinburgh, J ♦ CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. rage S ttliil’ALl'-| 11■ «•» . «• in ... .... ... .i. 1 Sect, 1. The definition of Fencing’,—of a Sword, &c. 22 2. On the first Positions, . 24? 3. On the different modes of Attack, . ... ... 28 4. On the Parades, ... . ... . SI CHAPTER II. Sect. 1. On Straight Thrusts, ... ... ... 39 2. On Disengagements, and the cut over the point, 43 3. On the different methods of Binding the Blade, 49 CHAPTER III. Sect. 1. Definition of a Feint One, Two, &c. ... ... 53 2. Feint Scconde, ... ... ... ... ... .«* f0 Feint One, Two, Three, ... ... ... ... 62 o tn «tt • #t X CONTEXTS. Pa*e Sect. 4. On the Doubling, &c. 01 5. The Feint One, Two, and deceive the Circle, C7 6. One, Two, and deceive the Counter, . 03 7. Feint Flanconnade, . 70 <3. Feint One, Two, and deceive Octave,. 71 9. Feint Seconde, and deceive Quarte, ... ... 72 10. Feint Seconde, and deceive Tierce, . 73 11. One, Two, and deceive Quarte, from the posi¬ tion of Circle, ... ... ... ... ... / 1 12. Doubling on both sides o£ the arm, . 75 CHAPTER IV. Sect. 1. Time Thrusts in Opposition, . 77 2. Time Thrusts out of Opposition, . 84 CHAPTER V. Sect. 1. Quarte and Tierce, . 88 2. On the Fencing Salute, . 98 3. The Counters, &c.101 • * • CHAPTER VI. Sect* 1. On the most secure method of joining Blades for the Assault, ... ... ... ... ... ... 105 2. On the Practical Application of the lessons in the Assault, ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Ill CONTENTS. XI Fage Sect. 3- On the comparative advantages of the Feel of the Blade,—of Quickness of Sight, and rapi¬ dity of movement, &c.121 CHAPTER VII. Sect. 1 . Left-handed Fencers, . 125 2. On Irregular Fencers,. 127 CHAPTER VIII. O 11 Disaiming, ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 136 CHAPTER IX. On Erroneous Opinions, . 141 On Secret Thrusts, ...142 CHAPTER X. Sect. 1 . Necessary Qualifications for a Master,. 2. Thrusts accounted good in correct Fencing, 3. A few short maxims which the Young Fencer will do well to keep in his recollection, ... Life of the Chev. de St. George, ... ... ... Concluding observations. Index, . • •• Ml IM IM • • • • Ml Ml Ml 146 149 152 155 161 175 ■ ' 3 1 . > | * ' • • • ** • » « ••• «"'• w * * - » _/° ' •» •* PREFACE. Personal courage is a virtue so indispensable to complete the character of a man, that no one in whom this excellent'' has been found wanting, though endowed with many other valuable and splendid qualities, ever ranked very high in the estimation either of his con¬ temporaries or of posterity. It is, perhaps, in consequence of this very general impression, that those arts which conduce to the advan¬ tageous display of bravery are held in univer¬ sal estimation among mankind ; and there is reason to fear that many savage and sangui- 11 I EFFACE. nary practices have borrowed a false lustre from the glory which is due to the courage oi humanity alone. No excellence, however, is free from abuses; and though it cannot be denied that we ought to abhor and avoid whatever has a tendency to blunt and bruta¬ lize our feelings, yet a generous spirit will al¬ ways feel repugnance at the stigma of cow¬ ardice, or the imputation of pusillanimity. Man is not naturally formed for the indul¬ gence of a pugnacious disposition. It has been remarked, that, in a state of nature, he is among the most defenceless of all animals, since there are few parts of the human body capable of resisting considerable violence or of inflicting mortal mischief. The capacity of continual improvement, however, (wherein consists the superiority of reason over in¬ stinct), has rendered man, in spite of the com¬ paratively feeble structure of his bodily organs, FiiEFACE. Ill by far the most formidable of all animals—and brute force remains eternally subjugated, by the skill which experience and reflection soon enabled him to acquire* The gradual progress of mankind in their method of settling disagreements by combat, is powerfully, and, no doubt, correctly de¬ scribed by Horace, in his third Satire; Cum prorepserunt prams animalia terris Mufum et turpe pecus, glandem atque cubilia propter Unquibus et pngnis, dein fustibus, atque ita pond Pugnabant arm is, quae post fabrieaverat usus.” * * When the first mortals crawling rose to birth, Silent and wretched were these Sons of Earth ; For caves and acorns, then the food of life, With nails and fists they held a bloodless strife; But soon improv’d, with clubs they bolder fought, And various anna, which sad experience wrought. Francis. t PKLl'ACE. V I is very remarkable. So universal, indeed, was their admiration of these spectacles, that Cicero, who preferred a law against their fre¬ quent repetition, passes a much milder cen¬ sure upon the custom than the heinousness of its nature appears to have demanded. The various and complicated methods of combat in which this celebrated people took so savage a delight, are alluded to by a multiplicity of Jloman authors, particularly Juvenal, Liyy, Seneca, and Suetonius, The history of our modern small-sword or rapier is by no means free from obscurity. The latter term, although now considered sy- nonimous with the former, properly denotes a long, ordinary, old-fashioned, cutting sword, as its derivation * evidently implies. Modern usage, however, has identified the expressions, * From a Greek word, ((«*■{'"•,) signifying lo strike. X’BEFACE. + • vu and by the term rapier is always now meant a sword for the thrust, in contradistinction to that which is constructed for cutting. The small-sword or rapier is of very ancient ori¬ gin, although I am inclined to suspect that it was brought into general use only as ar¬ mour went out of fashion. Since that time the art of fencing has always been a characteristic of a gentleman's education, and it is cultivat¬ ed on many parts of the Continent with the deepest interest. Shakespeare, indeed, makes a fencer of Hamlet, who lived at the Court of Florwendillus, 500 years since; but as our great countryman was not very careful in avoiding anachronisms, his authority is hard¬ ly sufficient to establish the claim of the small¬ sword to such antiquity. Some have main¬ tained that this weapon was not used in Eng¬ land before the reign of Elizabeth ; and Dar- cie, in his Annals of Elizabeth, informs us, that one Rowland York, (who appears to have PREFACE. Vill betrayed Deventer to the Spaniards in 1587,) was the first who brought into England “ that c o wicked, pernicious fashion to fight in the fields in duels with a rapier called a tuclce oriel ij for ihe thrust Stowe also writes, that long tucks and long rapiers began about the 12th or 13th year of Elizabeth, and that “ he was held y e greatest gallant that had the deepest ruff and longest rapier; the offence to the eye of the one, and the hurt unto the life of the subject that came by the other, caused her Majesty to make proclamation against them both, and to place selected grave citizens at every gate to cut the ruffes and breake the rapiers’ points of all passengers that exceeded a yeard in length of iheir rapiers, and a nayle of a yeard in depth of their ruffes.” In the Two Angry Women of Abingdon, a Comedy, printed in 1599, we find the following pathetic com¬ plaint : “ Sword and buckler fight begins to PREFACE. IX grow out of use. I am sorry for it: I shall never see good manhood again. If it be once gone, this poking fight of rapier and dagger will come up ; then a tall man, and a good sword-and-buckler man will be spitted like a cat or a rabbit.” In France, until lately, fencing was con¬ sidered of so much national importance, that no Masters were allowed to teach in Paris, without having served a sort of apprentice¬ ship in some regular Salle d’Armes, and af¬ terwards proving their talents in two public exhibitions, in opposition to the last received Masters. Such as had been thus received, enjoyed, besides other honours, the freedom of all places of public amusement for one year. Pyrard assures us, that the art of fencing is so highly esteemed in the East Indies, that X riiU'ACE. none but Princes and Noblemen are allowed to teach it. They wear a badge or cogniz¬ ance on their right arms, called in their lam guage Essaru, which is put on with great ce¬ remony, like the badges of our orders of knighthood, by the kings themselves.—See “ Fencing” in the English Encyclopaedia, 1802 . It is not surprising that the small-sword, when once introduced, should have been cul- / tivated as the most fair and equitable mode of duelling ; for, before this period, such meet¬ ings were utterly revolting to human nature ; no regard was paid to equality of arms or numbers; and advantages, however unfair, were seized whenever an opportunity occur¬ red. Sir Walter Scott, in his notes to the Lady of the LaIce, makes the following re- marks. PllEFACE. XL “ The duellists of former times did not al¬ ways stand upon those punctilios respecting equality of arms, which are now judged es¬ sential to fair combat. It is true that in for¬ mal combats in the lists, parties were, by the judges of the field, put as nearly as possible in the same circumstances. But in private duel it was often otherwise. In that desperate combat which w r as fought between Quelus, a minion of Henry the Third of France, and Antraquet, with two seconds on each side, from which only two persons escaped alive; Quelus complained that his antagonist had over him the advantage of a poniard which he used in parrying, while his left hand, which he was forced to use for the same purpose, was cruelly mangled. When he charged Aptraquet with this odds, Thou hast done wrong,” answered lie, “ to forget XU PREFACE. thy dagger at home ; we are here to fight, not to settle punctilios of arms.” * In a similar duel, however, a younger bro¬ ther of the house of Aubange, in Angouleme, behaved more generously on the like occasion, and at once threw away his dagger, when his enemy challenged it as an undue advantage. But at this time hardlv anv thing; can be con- ceived more horridly brutal and savage than the mode in which private quarrels were con¬ ducted in France. Those who were most jealous of the point of honour, and acquired the title of Rqffines , did not scruple to take every advantage of strength, numbers, sur¬ prise, and arms, to accomplish their revenge. Brantome, in his Discourse on Duels, says, that the Italian masters of the noble science * Look at Brewster s Encyclopaedia, article Knighthood. PREFACE. • • 0 XIII of defence, made great mystery of their art and mode of instruction ;—never suffered any person to be present but the scholar who was to be taught, and even examined closets, beds, anil other places of possible concealment. Their lessons often gave the most treacherous advantages ; for the challenger having the right to chuse his weapons, frequently selected some strange, unusual, and inconvenient kind of arms, the use of which he practised under these instructors, and thus killed at his ease his antagonist, to whom it was presented for the first time on the field of battle. We mi^ht almost be led to suppose, that the same, if not even more treacherous ad¬ vantages were taught by some masters of the present day in Italy, when we are informed, in an authentic publication of the life of the late Pope, that upwards of 1000 persons an¬ nually fall victims in Home to the stiletto, PREFACE. , • 3E1 either by the hand of the hired assassin, or in private quarrels. Dr Moore reckons the number of murders in Naples by the dagger,- at not less than 400 annually. The practice of deciding duels with the sword may be considered as extinct in this country. When the rapier was looked upon as an indispensable part of a gentleman’s dress, the facility of immediate rencounter which it offered, gave occasion to frequent and hazard¬ ous brawls, which greatly endangered public tranquillity. It may, however, be reasonably doubted, whether the comparatively rare oc¬ currence of duels since the introduction of the pistol, be not fearfully overbalanced by a long list of fatal results, amputated limbs, and dis¬ tressing mutilations. Since the discontinuance of sword duels in England, one favourite objection against fen- XV PREFACE. cing has necessarily subsided, viz. that an adroit knowledge of weapons creates a fondness for contention, and a disposition to indulge in violence and outrage. I do not know that this objection was of much weight even when swords were usually worn : for, as many tur¬ bulent characters went about armed, it was surely but fair to place the more peaceable part of society on a par with them in respect to skill. Is not the primary intention of fen¬ cing the security of one’s own person ? Would any one be so absurd as to deny an honest housekeeper the protection of an iron bolt, because the thief makes use of a crow-bar ? The practice of the foils, however, in Eng¬ land, is now confined to the most laudable purposes ; to the enjoyment of salutary re¬ creation, and the acquisition of a graceful and unconstrained deportment. The beneficial ef¬ fects of moderate fencing on weak constitu- XVI PREFACE. tions, and on persons of studious and seden¬ tary habits, have been attested by medical practitioners of the first eminence. Mr An¬ gelo, in a recent publication of some very fine engravings, illustrative of fencing attitudes, has o o 7 o 7 been at great pains to collect the suffrages of many celebrated characters in the British schools of medicine and surgery. To the rhetorician, the practice of the fencing-room has been found to impart an ease of gesture attainable perhaps by no other exercise than the discipline of the ballet-master. An in¬ genious writer on the subject of delivery, * gives it as his opinion, that the use of the foil and broad-sword diffuses grace, elegance, and ease all over the body, and characterizes the look and gesture with an appearance of intel¬ lectual vigour. Of the interest attached to fencing I shall say nothing more, than that * Wright, in the Sohool Orator. PREFACE, XVU it combines much of the stratagem of chess with the dexterity of billiards. It is my confident hope that the following sheets will be found extremely useful to the admirers of the art, whether Tyros or Profi¬ cients. In the composition of them, I have aimed especially at conciseness and perspicui¬ ty ; and have endeavoured throughout to ren¬ der the Work a valuable companion to the Fencing-School, by explaining, as clearly as I am able, every movement which is taught in the lesson. Many works of merit have already appeared on the same subject, and it is far from being my wish uncandidly to depreciate any; but if near¬ ly all those which I have yet met with had not seemed deficient either in explanation or prac- B V1JJ PREFACE. tical utility, there would have been no occa¬ sion for the attempt which I now have the honour of submitting to the public. A NEW AND COMPLETE TREATISE ON THE ART OF FENCING. B Q * CHAPTER I. ON THE FIRST POSITIONS AND SIMPLE MOVEMENTS. Section I. The Definition of Fencing,—Of a Sword, Sfc. What is Fencing? O It is the proper use of the Small-sword or Foil. What is a Small-sword? A light court dress sword, generally with a triangular blade, made to taper gradually from the hilt to the point; its exact size must be regulated by the judgment of the wearer, if he understand the use of the weapon. Ama¬ teurs differ in their choice of a sword accord- OQ •+j THE DEFINITION OF FENCING. ing to their various powers or habits ; but I recommend, as a general standard for length, that, while you are standing in a perfectly up¬ right position, with the point resting on the ground, near the heel, the pummel should reach to about the height of the hip. The constituent parts of a sword are the blade and the hilt:—the Hilt is divided into the shell or guard, the grasp or handle, and the pum¬ mel. The Shell is a slight guard and orna¬ ment to the hand;—the Grasp should be of sufficient length to allow the hand free play r and is generally made to swell a little towards the middle, and to taper off towards the ex¬ tremes : the Pummel is the ball fixed at the extremity of the handle by way of counter¬ poise to the whole; it should, therefore, be rather weighty.* The blade is divided by * A Sword-knot is sometimes worn as an ornament to the dress ; but as it is frequently omitted, I think it necessary to caution every swordsman, in the event of a serious affair, by all means to make use of one ; as, by being fastened round the wrist, it prevents the possibility of the weapon’s escaping from his hold, and is also a protection to the hand. So im¬ portant, indeed, is this precaution, that, should he not have the OF A SWORD, SCC. 23 Fencers, into three parts—the Fort, Middle, and Foible. The fort is the first third from the shell; the middle is the next, and the foible 'is the last towards the point. # What is a Foil ? It is a small quadrangular blade with which the Art of Fencing is practised; about the length of a small-sword and mounted in near¬ ly the same manner, but, for the convenience of the exercise made much lighter. The foil is blunted and covered with leather at the point, to prevent accidents in the practice. means of procuring a sword-knot, I would recommend him to secure his sword in his hand with his handkerchief, by fasten¬ ing it round his wrist and the hilt, in as firm a manner as pos¬ sible ; or by wearing a glove with a couple of strong loops, through which he should pass the handle of his sword. A loop is also sometimes passed from the shell round the hand. * The blade is divided into three equal parts, merely for the sake of convenience, as the terms fort and foible, strictly speaking, can convey only relative ideas : thus, any part of your blade will be fort, when opposed to a weaker part of your adversary’s. 24 ON THE FIRST POSITIONS. Section II. On the First Positions « What are the first positions necessary to be acquired in Fencing? First: The body must be perfectly upright; the head thrown well back, with the arms fall¬ ing easily down by your sides ; your foil held below the shell in your left hand, as though it were in a scabbard; the heels together, with the feet at right angles; the right foot in a line with, and pointing towards, your adversary’s left toe; the body and head turned, so as to expose to your opponent as little front as pos¬ sible ; the eyes principally fixed upon his wrist, but including at the same time the whole of his body. # Having placed yourself thus, * As many fencers of the old school, and some even of those of the present day, imagine that the movements of their opponent are to be discovered by the motions of his eyes, I take the earliest opportunity of preventing the pupil’s falling into this error, by shewing him the impossibility of dis¬ covering, through the eyes, the moti6ns of the adversary’s sword. ON THE FIRST POSITIONS. 25 out of the possible reach of your adversary, should he attempt to attack you in this situ¬ ation, raise your right arm, easily extended, to about the height of the eyes: pass it grace¬ fully across the body; the left at the same time being a little raised to meet it; then seize the handle of your foil with the right hand, draw your sword, as from a scabbard, and immediate¬ ly place the point opposite to your opponent’s breast; having your arm a little bent, and your wrist, with the nails turned upwards, something but very little lower than the point; at the same time raise the left, easily curved at the elbow, till the fingers are rather higher than The absurdity of the idea will, I think, be evident, when the pupil is reminded that, in the practice of the small-sword with foils, each fencer wears a closely wrought wire mask for the security of his face, through which medium he may con¬ ceive with what admirable exactness and precision every mi¬ nute change in the appearance of the eye can be discovered. If these masks were not sufficient to prevent any indiscre¬ tion of your eyes being turned to your disadvantage by your opponent, the wearing a pair of dark-coloured spectacles would effectually answer the purpose. According to this system, squinting, or any convulsive move¬ ments of the eyes, must be an advantage, and should be culti¬ vated by persons wishing to become expert fencers; and feints should be taught to be made with the eye instead of the foil* 26 ON THE FIRST POSITIONS. parallel with the crown of the head, with the palm of the hand turned inwards, as in Plate L The Sword or Foil must be held by pressing lightly the grasp flat in the hand, so that the edges are nearly horizontal, with your thumb stretched along upon the upper part of tire handle, to within about half an inch of the shell, the pummel resting under the wrist.* When you feel steady in this position, be care¬ ful to retain the same upright posture, and sink perpendicularly, by bending both knees, until the left knee cover the left foot; then advance the right foot on a line with your own left heel and the point of your adversary’s left foot, as far as you can without bringing the body forward, which is to remain upright and resting solely upon the left leg, as in Plate 2. It is from this position that the assault is al- * The foil, when well mounted, has always a slight curve in the blade, and also in the handle, upon the upper part of which you place your thumb, so that the point rather inclines down¬ wards. The sword ought to be mounted so as to have the same inclination of the handle, though, through the inattention or ignorance of sword cutlers, this is frequently not attend¬ ed to. • 'put?'/?/? uo /h/ruw.j o/ /t'jojTsu??//ou det? Forrester F*. idensa/t /.iiftaj. —1 ■ m ■ ■ . ■ ■■&?■ ' '■' -'•••• t X L~ ..... r.j, . •/ : ✓ MQDES OF ATTACK. 31 tion, put the right foot firmly down, and come on guard, as in Plate 2, carefully observing that your point be always in a direct line with your adversary’s breast during this motion. To ascertain if you are correctly in position, after recovering, immediately make the appel, which if you are able to do according to the former lesson on it, you are properly placed on guard. The longeing and recovering must be practised frequently with attention, until they are thoroughly acquired, and executed with ease to yourself; you will then com¬ mence the Parades. Section IV. On the Parades. What are Parades? A Parade , is a defence of "your body, made by an opposition of your blade to your ad¬ versary’s, in such a situation, as, upon his at¬ tack, to prevent the point of the sword touch¬ ing you. How many Parades are there ? ON THE FA HADES. under the sword arm. For the defence of each of these divisions two of the simple Pa¬ rades appear to be exclusively intended. Tierce and Prime for the outside , Quarte and Circle for the inside , and Quinte and Octave for thrusts under the arm. % The Parade of Quarte is made against an attack inside of the arm, by oppo¬ sing, with the nails turned upwards, the fort of your blade to the foible of your adversary’s ; so that you may completely command him,f crossing your body sufficiently with your foil, to cause his straight thrust to pass out of the line of your body towards your left side .—Sec Plate 5. In this movement, your point must be rather higher than your wrist, and nearly opposite to your opponent’s chest. The pa¬ rade of Tierce is opposed to a thrust over the arm, and is made on the contrary side to Quarte, * The young pupil will do well to recollect, that all attacks coming below the level of the wrist, are not necessarily under the arm, in the third division of the bod}', but sometimes come to the inside of the body, and are then parried by low quarte or circle. 11 ou are said to command your opponent when you oppose the fort of your blade to the foible of his. 34 ON THE TARADES. with the nails turned downwards, so that the same angle of your sword may come in contact with the foible of your antagonist’s blade in both parades, your point being kept in line :—your opponent’s point will then pass on the right side of your body .—See Plate 6. It must be understood that the situation of your arm, in all these parades, is entirely regulated by the height of your opponent’s thrusts, and the distance of his point from your body at the time your opposition is made: for it is abso¬ lutely necessary, in all these motions, that your fort be opposed to his foible . The parade of circle , is generally made against a low inside thrust , upon the height of which depends the exact situation of your wrist; as your hand must be higher than the foible of your adver¬ sary’s foil, with the point low enough to cover the lower part of your body. The difference between Quarte and Circle, is, that, in the pa¬ rade of quarte, when you meet your oppo¬ nent’s blade, your point is higher than your wrist and in a line with his chest, as the pa¬ rade is mostly opposed to high thrusts. Circle is made with the wrist higher and point lower than the adversary’s foible , and is generally .4 jsr°'/ . 5 . Of o Al ON THE PARADES, used against low attacks.— See Plate 7. Both these parades defend the inside of the body. Octave is made with the wrist and foil in the same position as in circle , but on the contrary side of the body, against a thrust under the arm.—See Plate 8. Prime is opposed to higher thrusts , and is formed by raising your hand, with the nails turned in tierce , to about the height of, and near your right shoulder, letting your point fall very little lower than your wrist, but out of the line of your opponent’s breast, and directed towards his right side ; so that, with your foil, you may entirely cross and cover the upper part of your own body.— See Plate 9. The parade of Quinte is usually made after prime , upon your adversary attack¬ ing that part of the body necessarily exposed under the arm upon this parade. Quinte is formed from the position of prime , by merely dropping the point sufficiently to cover the whole of the body under the arm ; so that your opponent’s point may pass towards the right side, the wrist remaining in the same place and position as in prime , excepting that the thumb is brought under the hand with the nails turned completely outwards,— See 3G ON THE PARADES. Plate 10. The plates are as correct a repre¬ sentation of these movements as can be given upon paper; but it must be understood that, in fencing, you will find it impossible, some¬ times, to defend yourself with your arm at the precise distance from your body that these examples are drawn at, as it is absolutely ne¬ cessary that, in the various parades, you should oppose the fort of your sword to the foible of your adversary’s ; you will, therefore, per¬ ceive that the situation of your arm, in parry¬ ing, must depend upon the nearness of his point to your body at the time you meet his blade. If you can cross his foible at a suffi¬ cient distance from your breast to form the parade correctly, (fort to foible ) with your arm extended, it will be necessary to do it; but if his foil advance within a few inches of your breast, before you are enabled to form the parade, then, upon the same principle, your arm must be nearly drawn back to your own body, to offer resistance enough to his thrust to prevent its touching you. It is ne¬ cessary to mention here, that the parades should be sometimes made with a smart sud¬ den jerk from the wrist, (the correct situation ON TIIE PARADES. 37 of the hand and point being carefully pre¬ served), so as to drive your opponent’s blade completely and suddenly out of the line of your body: This is done when you intend, after his longe, making an immediate and o 7 O quick return merely from the wrist, before he recovers on guard. But when, instead of this sudden riposte , you purpose executing any feint , after having defended yourself from an attack, then make the parade by a mere oppo¬ sition of your sword to your adversary’s, with so little force, that his blade does not quit your’s: remain covered with your point in line with his body, until he comes on guard again, then will be the proper time to com¬ mence your feint. The Counter Parades are compounds of the simple ones, and are thus executed: The counter in Quarte is generally made from the engagement of Quarte, upon your opponent’s disengaging to the outside of your arm, by merely making a small circular motion round under his wrist or foil, and bringing yourself to your original position of quarte : but it may be formed against any out¬ side thrust. The counter in Tierce is mostly performed from the engagement of tierce, ON TIIE PARADES. 38 when from that situation your opponent dis¬ engages to the inside; by making a small cir¬ cular motion round under his wrist or foil, and coming to your former situation, in Tierce.— r fhe last observation respecting the Counter in Quarte, applies equally [mutatis mutandis) to the Counter in Tierce. CHAPTER II. ON STRAIGHT THRUSTS, SIMPLE DISENGAGE¬ MENTS, AND BINDINGS OF THE BLADE. Section I. On Straight Thrusts. How and when are Straight thrusts to be used ? A Straight thrust is used as an attack when your antagonist, from his position on guard, leaves sufficient opening to enable you to touch him on that side of the body on which you join blades. Having such an opportunity, raise your wrist suddenly, so as to bring the fort of your sword to the foible of his, and immedi¬ ately longe on the same line, to his breast; at the time, carefully observing to preserve a coiv rect opposition. 40 ON STRAIGHT THRUSTS. What is meant in Fencing by the term Op¬ position ? It signifies, the act of’ covering your body at the time of delivering a thrust, on that side where the Foils happen to cross, to prevent your adversary’s exchanging hits with you.— Upon delivering an inside thrust, your oppo¬ sition being well made, your right arm must be extended obliquely towards your adver¬ sary’s right shoulder; so that, standing on your longe, you will be enabled to see the whole of his body over your oxen arm , and should he attempt to exchange hits with you by thrust¬ ing at the same time, his point would pass to your left side, as in the Parade of Quarte.— The opposition upon an outside thrust is just the reverse: you then see your opponent along the inside of your szyord arm. The op¬ position upon all other thrusts, is founded up¬ on precisely the same principle, viz. of cover¬ ing your own body on the side on which you deliver the thrust, by opposing your wrist sufficiently towards your antagonist’s, to turn his point out of the line of your breast. A straight thrust is also frequently made as a return, after having parried your adversary’s ON STRAIGHT THRUSTS. 41 attack so smartly as to send his point quite away from your body, and enable you to de¬ liver your straight thrust before he can bring it into line again:—It is executed from the wrist merely, or with the extension, as the distance of your opponent’s body from your’s may render it necessary or not; but, in the present instance, i. e. as a riposte, it should never be accompanied with the longe, as it must, from this situation, be always delivered before your adversary recovers to his position on guard. All thrusts in fencing are made with the wrist of your sword-arm, in the posi¬ tion of quarte, excepting one straight thrust delivered under your adversary’s arm, called Seconde, which is made with the wrist in Tierce. The opposition is to be formed to¬ wards the outside of your body, under the arm, so as to cause your opponent’s sword to pass you on the same side as it does upon your forming the Parade of Quinte. This thrust is practised either as an attack or return, but more frequently as the latter, after the Parade of Tierce, Prime, or Quinte. Longeing over the arm, in the position of Tierge, was formerly taught, but now, from observation, it is discon- 42 ON STllAIGIIT THRUSTS. tinued by all good masters , as the position is so weak that a moderately strong Parade would inevitably disarm you, or enfeeble the grasp of your foil, so as to prevent your returning in time to a quick Parade. This thrust is parried by either Quinte or Octave.* Do you deceive any Parade in making a straight thrust ? No ; these thrusts are only made when there is sufficient opening given by your adversary, on the side on which the blades are joined, to enable you to execute a quick straight attack. The same opening is necessary for a return. The requisite opening for this thrust is often accidentally given by your adversary while on the position of the guard, and you also fre¬ quently make it by your own sharp and sud¬ den Parade. How are straight thrusts to be parried ? If they are delivered inside of the arm, the quickest and most correct mode of defence is the simple Parade of L Quarte ; if on the out- * The Parade of Circle is taught by some masters as a de¬ fence against this thrust; but I should say it is impossible to form this Parade against Seconde, if moderately well made. ON STRAIGHT THRUSTS. 43 side of the arm, you may use either the Pa¬ rade of Tierce or Prime ;* if under the arm, defend yourself with Octave or Quinte. These parades apply equally whether your opponent’s thrust be made as a first attack, or as a re¬ turn. Section II. On Disengagements , and the Cat over the Point . How and when should the disengagements be used ? The disengagement is made either as an attack, or as a return after defending yourself from a thrust. It is executed thus:—Suppose the Foils to be joined on the inside of the armj # I think it necessary to mention, that the thrust inside of the arm may be parried by a fencer very superior to his op¬ ponent, by the Counter in Tierce ; and that on the outside, by the Counter in Quarte. The difficulty of forming a Countei- Paradc upon a straight thrust, will be easily understood by observing the comparative simplicity of the latter movement; whence it is evident that it can be executed with much greater quickness than the former. 44 ON THE DISENGAGEMENT, without leaving your antagonist’s blade, ad¬ vance your point towards his body, by making the extension carefully in opposition, which will oblige him, in all probability, to form the Parade of Quarte, that being the most ready and correct method of defending the part of his body thus threatened ; then, immediately upon his attempting to make this defence, you will quickly change the sides of the blade, by bringing your point round under his wrist, without altering your position (except in the opposition, which will now be on the outside), and deliver your thrust by a longe made as rapidly as possible. The disengagement is used as a riposte, when your opponent, after his attack has failed, imagining that you in¬ tend to return a straight thrust, recovers on guard, covering the side on which your point is opposed to him ; at this moment, seize the opportunity of there being an opening on the contrary side , to advance your point, by forming the extension without leaving his blade , which will oblige him toTemain on the opposition he has taken, and bring you nearer his body ; then suddenly disengage your foil to the op¬ posite side, where the opening is afforded you, AND CUT OVER THE POINT. 45 and longe with all possible quickness. There is another species of disengagement called the “ Cut over the Point,” which is generally made as a return when your adversary, as he re¬ covers to the position of Quarte or Tierce, presses your foil out of the line of his body upon the side on which the blades join at the time. To execute the Cut, raise your wrist a little, and, bringing your foil over your adver¬ sary’s point, immediately drop your own until it is in correct line: then longe, as before di¬ rected. The difference between this thrust and the disengagement is, that the latter is a motion of your foil from one side to the other of your opponent’s body, round and under his blade or wrist; and the cut, though made from the same situation, brings your blade over your adversary’s point. Are disengagements made any other way than under the wrist or foil ? Yes : when your antagonist’s point is lower than his wrist (which is necessarily the case upon the Parades of Circle, Octave, and Quinte), then the disengagement is made by bringing your point over his wrist, which is indeed the only way in which it can be per- 46 ON THE DISENGAGEMENT, formed from this situation. After your ad¬ versary’s parade of circle, the thrust following the disengagement is delivered on the oppo¬ site side, under the arm. The thrust after the disengagement from the position of Octave or Quinte, may be high or low, as may appear most advantageous. Do you deceive any Parade in making the Disengagement ? Yes, sometimes ; for instance—suppose you have joined blades with your opponent inside of the arm, and that he does not cover his body entirely, to disengage with effect from that position, it will be necessary that you should advance your point so far towards his body, upon the same line, without quitting his blade, that he may imagine you meditate a straight thrust. This will oblige him to secure o o the part threatened by the parade of Quarte, and accordingly leave the outside of his body completely uncovered;—you will then make your disengagement, and thus deceive Quarte. Disengaging from a similar situation on the outside of the arm, you will deceive Tierce. When you disengage from any position in which your adversarv is covered, you deceive AND CUT OVER THE POINT. 47 no parade. It may here be necessary to ob¬ serve, that in the future explanation of the Parades deceived in all the different Feints, the body will be understood to be covered on the side on which the blades join before the attack is commenced, unless for the purpose of elucidation, the contrary should be speci¬ fied. How are Disengagements to be parried ? A Disengagement over the arm may be par¬ ried with Tierce or Prime ; the former of which parades, however, is the quicker. If, from your distance , you feel secure, or are confident in your own superiority of quickness, you may de¬ fend yourself against a simple disengagement over the arm by the counter in Quarte. You may parry a disengagement made inside of the body with Quarte, either high or low, as the attack requires; and also with the counter in Tierce, if superior to your opponent in quick¬ ness, or if rather out of his proper distance. The difficulty attending the execution of this and the other counter Parade, has been al¬ ready noticed. The Disengagement is to be parried likewise, if made low , by the parade of Circle. The disengagement under the 48 ON THE DISENGAGEMENT, arm, from the position of Circle, is to be op¬ posed by either the parade of Octave or Quinte.* A disengagement from the position of Octave should be parried by Quarte, or, if the thrust be delivered low, by Circle. The disengagement from the position of Quinte you will parry with Prime, as the readiest de¬ fence, but Quarte, as well as Tierce, are also correct parades against this thrust. You must particularly recollect that no returns should ever be made until your antagonist is just re¬ covered upon his guard, with the exception of straight thrusts, which are executed imme¬ diately upon a smart parade being formed, and before your adversary recovers on guard, or can bring his point into line again. The danger of leaving your opponent’s blade whil e * The disengagement under the arm from the position of Circle, may be parried by a sort of counter in Circle, made round and over your adversary’s blade, which will bring his point round to its former position in Circle. The wideness of the motion necessary to form this Parade renders its exe¬ cution barely possible ; and were there not many masters of the present day who teach this mode of parrying the attack under the arm, I should not have thought it of sufficient im¬ portance to be noticed, as it is unquestionably had fencing , and, therefore, should never be attempted. % ON BINDING THE BLADE. 49 he is on his longe, consists in this :—that his point being nearer to your body than yours is to his, the act of quitting his Foil will make an opening that completely exposes you to a time thrust, which motion will be explained hereafter in its proper place. The learner is now supposed to understand that all thrusts and feints must be made in correct opposition, or he will be continually exposed to counter hits. Section III. On the Different Methods of Binding the Birr'la. How many different ways are there of Bind¬ ing the Blade ? There are only three that I should recom¬ mend as at all safe in the execution. Of these, Flanconnade is the principal, as it is some¬ times a safe attack, when any other mode would be attended with considerable danger. It is also made as a riposte. The attack of Flan¬ connade is commenced when the blades are joined in Quarte, and is thus executed : Draw your wrist sufficiently in towards your body D 50 OS BINDING THE BLADE. to enable you to oppose the fort of your blade to the foible of your antagonist’s; then sud- i denly, from that position, bind your sword over his, and, without quitting it, bring your point in a line with his body under his arm, and immediately longe, strictly in opposition ; which will here be in Octave. Flanconnade, as an attack, is generally made against an ad¬ versary, who, being taller than yourself, de¬ pends upon his own superior length of reach, and stands with his arm extended, intending to oppose a straight thrust to any longe you may make ; which mode, (though not correct fencing), from his superiority of length, would probably succeed, if you quitted his blade to make an attack. This thrust is likewise made in manv other situations, when it would be dangerous to quit your adversary’s blade, to commence your assault. Flanconnade is used as a return after the Parade of Quarte, when your opponent does not recover immediately, but presses against your blade while on the longe ; or, when he recovers with his point in line, and his arm extended; in which situa¬ tion it would be dangerous to leave his foil for the purpose of making a riposte. ON BINDING THE BLADE. 51 How is the thrust of Flanconnade to be Either by Octave or Quinte, or by the Pa¬ rade of Quarte, which is executed thus ; upon your adversary binding your blade, and so forcing his point into line under your arm, immediately drop your wrist and raise your point; at the same time cross his blade with¬ out quitting it, and so bring his point to an inside position, and yourself to the Parade of Quarte. This mode of defending yourself against the thrust of Flanconnade is very diffi¬ cult. The other two methods of binding the blade, from the necessary situation of your op¬ ponent’s point at the time of their execution, can be made only after the Parades of Prime and Circle. The return over the arm, after the Parade of Circle is performed, when your adversary remains on his longe, or recovers with his arm extended, and with his point lower than his wrist, by joining your fort to his foible, and binding his blade, without quitting it, so as to bring your point into line with his body on the outside of his arm; then push home, forming your opposition on the outside. This return can be made only after the Parade of 52 ON BINDING THE BLADE. Circle, whilst your antagonist’s point remains lower than his wrist, which enables you, from the situation of your Parade, to command his foible. How is the return over the arm, after the Parade of Circle, to be parried ? By Prime or Tierce, or by changing very quickly to the Counter in Quarte. The re¬ turn over the arm after the Parade of Prime, is the third method of binding the blade, and is also only made as a riposte. It is executed after the Parade, on your opponent giving you the command of his foible, and leaving the outside of his body uncovered, by turning your wrist smartly from the position of Prime to Quarte, at the same time bringing your point, by binding your adversary’s blade into a line with his body, over the arm; then im¬ mediately thrust home, forming the opposi¬ tion on the outside. How is the return over the arm, after the Parade of Prime, to be parried ? By Prime or Tierce ; or, if made at a con¬ siderable distance, by the Counter in Quarte. CHAPTER III. ON FEINTS. Section I. Definition of a Feint — One, Two, <3fc. What is a Feint ? It is any intentional movement made to de¬ ceive your adversary. All thrusts, therefore, strictly speaking, may come under this defini¬ tion, as the fencer’s object, in all his attacks, is to deceive his antagonist. For the sake of convenience and perspicuity, however, straight thrusts and simple disengagements have been arranged under separate heads. There is a great variety of Feints, which I will now en¬ deavour to explain in their most easy and na¬ tural order; commencing with the feint called One , two , which is executed thus : Your blade 54 DEFINITION OF A FEINT. being joined to your adversary’s within the arm, and your wrist in the position of Quarte, should his body not be covered sufficiently on that side, induce him, by a slight motion, to imagine you meditate an attack inside of the arm, which will oblige him to come to the ne¬ cessary position for the purpose of covering himself. You will now immediately disengage to the opposite side of his blade, at the same time making the extension in opposition. Your antagonist, supposing this Feint is intended for a thrust on the outside, will most probably attempt making the Parade of Tierce,* that being the most ready defence against an out¬ side thrust (he must form some Parade upon your Feint, or you would complete the longe on the same side), you will, upon his turning * This Feint may be answered by any of the three follow- ing Parades,—Tierce, Prime, or the counter in Quarte ; should either of the two latter be adopted, yoli must vary your attack accordingly, the method of doing which will be shewn here¬ after. It must here be observed, as a general remark, that, though eveiy thrust, in fencing, may be parried more than one way, in the subsequent definition of the Feints, they will al¬ ways be represented as answered by such Parades, as are es¬ sentially necessary for the execution of the particular thrust intended, ONE, TWO, &C. S3 his wrist for that purpose, and consequently leaving an opening inside of the arm, rapidly disengage again under his wrist, and longe with as much quickness and precision as possible within his arm, carefully observing that his blade does not meet vours on his Parade of •/ Tierce. The opposition will be on the inside. You may also execute this Feint on the oppo¬ site side from the engagement of Tierce, by making the first disengagement inside; and when this is answered by the Parade of Quarte, you will, upon the same principle, immediately disengage a second time, and longe smartly on the outside, avoiding your opponent’s blade on his Parade of Quarte. The opposition will of course be changed also. In all future de¬ finitions of the Feints and Thrusts the Oppo¬ sition will not be noticed, as the pupil is now supposed to understand them thoroughly ; but in order to assist his memory, I shall here present him at one view, with the general rule for the formation of all the Oppositions. Upon all Feints or Thrusts over the arm, your Opposition should completely cover the outside of your own body, to prevent any exchanged hit; in this position you must see 56 DEFINITION OF A FEINT. the whole of one side of your exponent’s body, along the inside of your own arm. The Op¬ position upon an inside Feint or Thrust is just the reverse of this. Upon a Feint or Thrust under your opponent’s arm, you must cover yourself in Octave; unless when they are made in the position of &leconde, in which cases the Opposition will be in Quinte, In making the Feint, 4 One , two what Pa*- jrade do you deceive ? On executing this movement inside of the arm, supposing your adversary’s body to be covered in Quarte before you commence the attack, you deceive the parade of Tierce. Commencing from the outside, your adver^ sary’s body being covered, you deceive the parade of Quarte, In making the one, two, from the position of Circle, in which situation, it will be remembered, that the point is lower than the wrist, you deceive Octave; from Oc¬ tave you deceive Circle. How is Cbm, Tiro , to be parried? If it be made inside of the arm, by the pa¬ rade of Quarte, which is the readiest mode of defence against this attack ; it may also be parried by the counter in Tierce, made upon ONE, TWO, &C. 5T your opponent’s second disengagement, when you can either depend upon your own superior quickness, or upon the distance between your¬ self* and your antagonist. It is possible to parry this thrust, sometimes, with Prime or Circle.* One , two , upon the outside of the arm, is parried by Tierce, Prime, or the coun¬ ter in Quarte; the former observation on the counter in Tierce applying equally here. If made from the position of Circle (which mo¬ tion will be explained presently), it may be opposed by Quarte or Circle, but rather with the former parade, unless the thrust be di¬ rected low. If made from the position of Octave, it must be parried by Octave or Quin- te. The feint One, two , is likewise made as a return, after either the parade of Quarte or Tierce, immediately upon your adversary re- * As some masters recommend the parade of Circle as the most certain defence against an inside thrust, it is necessary 1 should observe, that you may sometimes defend yourself against an inside thrust with this parade ; but, at the same time, I give it as my decided opinion, that, from nearly all situations, Circle is the most difficult defence that is made, and places your wrist unnecessarily in the weakest possible position ; in addition to which objections it may also be ob¬ served, that from this parade you have the fewest opportuni¬ ties of making returns. S3 DEFINITION OF A FEINT. suming his position or guard ; it is also used, sometimes, after the parade of Circle or Oc¬ tave ; but, from the necessary situations of your own and your adversary’s wrist upon forming either of these parades, your disen¬ gagements must be made over his hand, in¬ stead of under his blade, as in the former ex¬ ample. After forming the parade of Circle, upon your opponent’s returning to his posi¬ tion on guard, with his point lower than his wrist, covering his body on the side on which you join blades (should he not do it immedi¬ ately, you must force him into the proper si¬ tuation, by shewing your point more in ad¬ vance towards his breast), make your feint by disengaging over his wrist, forming the exten¬ sion with your point directed towards his body under his arm; and when he attempts, upon this motion of yours, to oppose either the pa¬ rade of Octave or Quinte, to defend the part thus threatened, make your second disengage¬ ment over the wrist, and longe inside of the arm, either high or low, as the opening may appear more advantageous. The Cut and Dis~ engage is a species of One, two, and is thus executed :—Supposing your foils to be joined ONE, TWO, &C. 59 in Quarte, and that jour opponent’s point is higher than his wrist (which must always be the case to enable you to make this feint), ex¬ ecute the cut over his blade, by raising the fort of your sword over his point, and making the extension with your point brought into the line of his body over his arm ; upon his turning his wrist, for the purpose of defend¬ ing himself with the parade of Tierce against this imagined attack, at that instant disengage in the usual manner under the arm, and deli¬ ver your longe to the inside of the body. The disengagement is sometimes made as the first motion of the feint, and the cut as the last. This attack is likewise made upon precisely the same principles, commencing upon the opposite side of the body. It may be always practised upon the same openings that One , two , requires, except when your antagonist’s point is lower than his wrist; upon which oc¬ casions it is impossible to execute the Cut at all. In making the Cut and Disengage , be¬ ginning from the position of Quarte, you must deceive your adversary’s parade of Tierce; commencing from Tierce, you deceive his pa¬ rade of Quarte. 60 DEFINITION OF A FEINT. How is the Cut andDisengcige to be parried ? If made inside of the arm, it is parried by Quarte or the counter in Tierce ; if on the outside, by Tierce or counter in Quarte.* Section II. Feint Seconde. There is also another feint, very nearly re¬ sembling the One , two , called Feint Seconde , which is generally made as a return after the parades of Tierce, Prime, or Quinte; upon your antagonist recovering, after you have parried with Prime or Tierce, drop your point in the position of Seconde under his arm, forming the extension, and upon his * It may here be observed, once for all, that, in specifying the Parade necessary for defence against every compound at¬ tack, I presuppose the different motions of the feint to be pro¬ perly answered. Thus, when I say that One , two, inside of the arm, is to be parried with Quarte, 1 conclude that the de¬ fending party has answered the feint One, (which, of course, was made over the arm), with the simple parade of Tierce, under the impression that his opponent meant to disengage simply over the arm ; and that, finding himself deceived, he instantly returns to Quarte, and frustrate* the attack. FEINT SECONDE. 61 answering your feint with Octave or Quinte, turn your wrist to Quarte as you disengage, and longe over his arm. This feint, after you have formed the parade of Quinte, is executed by merely advancing your sword, with your wrist in the same position, and on the same line of direction as it was on the formation of the parade ; when your feint is answered, dis¬ engage over the arm as before recommended. The opposition on this thrust depends upon the side on which your opponent attempts to join blades again, after he is deceived in Se¬ conded In feint Seconde you deceive either Octave or Quinte. * The reason that the Opposition on this thrust is not de¬ cided, is, that your opponent’s blade is in Quinte, whilst your3 is over the arm, which prevents your having an opportunity of opposing on either side ; nor, in fact, is any opposition ne¬ cessary, unless he be quick enough to join your blade again, either in Quarte or Tierce, after having been deceived in Quinte. Should this be the case, you will apply the necessary opposi¬ tion for an outside or inside thrust. Tierce being the more ready parade after Quinte, and consequently more frequently used, the opposition in the lesson is usually made on the out¬ side. But should the feint in Seconde be answered by Oc¬ tave, your adversary will most probably follow your blade in Quarte, since his wrist is already in that position. This will render it necessary that your body should be covered on th« inside. 62 FEINT SECONDE. How is Feint Seconde parried ? By Tierce, Prime, or Quarte, the two for¬ mer of which are the readiest, if Quinte be the parade deceived ; but if you have answered the feint with Octave, then parry the thrust with Quarte. Section III. Feint One, Two, Three . The feint Owe, two , three t is made on either side of the blade, upon precisely the same principles as the feint 0?ie, two: the only difference between them consists in mak¬ ing one disengagement more in the latter than in the former movement; and it is to be ob_ served, that, on the first feint, your point must not be brought so far towards your adversary’s body, as in the One two , but merely advanced by the extension of the right arm (the left at the same time being dropped), so as to bring it to about your antagonist’s wrist. Upon his attempting to make the simple parade neces¬ sary to parry the threatened attack, disengage a second time, and advance your point farther FEINT ONE, TWO, THREE. 6$ by an extension of the whole body; from that position, upon his coming to the second sim¬ ple Parade, immediately disengage a third time, and, without drawing back the arm or body, longe home; care must be taken that the proper opposition be formed on the feints and on the thrust. The cut and One, two, is a species of One, two, three . It is executed from either side of the blade, commencing gene¬ rally with the cut over the point , though this is sometimes the last movement of the feint. In making the feint One, two, three, or the cut and one, two, from the engagement of Quarte, you deceive the parades of Tierce and Quarte ; beginning from Tierce, you must deceive Quarte and Tierce. It may here be remarked, without its necessity being again mentioned in the future explanation of the feints and thrusts, that your adversary's body should al¬ ways be covered on the side on which your foils join, before you quit his blade, either to make a simple Disengagement or Feint ; this gives an evident opening on the contrary side, which affords you the requisite opportunity of either executing your simple Disengage- 64 FEINT ONE, TWO, THREE. ment, or of commencing a feint at the part thus exposed. How are the feints One , two , three, and cut and one , two , to be parried ? If the thrust be made over the arm, with the simple parade of Tierce ; if on the inside, with simple Quarte. It may be parried also with a Counter, as has been remarked of the feint One two ; but it may be proper to men¬ tion, that the counter, though difficult of exe¬ cution in that case, is here much more so; as every feint of your adversary (if properly made), brings his point nearer your body, and thus renders your Counter Parade less practicable. Section IV. On the Doubling, <5fc. The feint called Doubling is commenced from either side of the blade, upon the necessary openings being given by your opponent: thus, from an inside position of Quarte, make the first motion of the feint, by disengaging, with ON TIIE DOUBLING, See. 65 an extension, to the outside, over his arm ; and, on his attempting to parry this apparent thrust by the counter in Quarte, diseno , ao < e a second time round his wrist to the outside of his body, and immediately deliver your longe. For the execution of the counter Parade, it is necessary that your opponent should complete a circular motion round and under your blade, which wtould bring him to his original engage- ment of Quarte: it is when this circular mo¬ tion is nearly completed, that you make your second disengagement: thus both motions of the feint are commenced from the inside of the body, and the thrust terminates upon the outside. This feint is executed upon precisely the same principles (mutatis mutandis ), com¬ mencing from the position of Tierce. Dou¬ bling from the inside position of Quarte, you must deceive the Counter in Quarte. Dou¬ bling from the outside position of Tierce , you deceive the Counter in Tierce or Prime , and sometimes the Circle; when, you must ob¬ serve, that your last disengagement will be made over instead of under your opponent’s wrist, and the thrust delivered under his arm. E 66 ON THE DOUBLING, &C. How are these thrusts to be parried ? If commenced from an inside position, either by the Parade of Tierce or Prime : if from the outside with the Parade of Quarte , unless when Circle is deceived—then the thrust must be par¬ ried by Octave or Quinte. Doubling and return - ing inside of the arm , is making, from the engage¬ ment of Quarte, the two disengagements of the Doubling , as feints; and upon your an¬ tagonist immediately attempting to form either Tierce or Prime upon the second motion (the only two Parades he can, from this situation, use with any probability of success), then in¬ stantly seize the opportunity of disengaging again, and longeing as rapidly as possible to the inside of the body. In this feint you de¬ ceive the Counter in Quarte and Tierce or Prime . How do you parry the thrust ? By Quarte. Doubling and returning over the arm, is made upon the same principles, but com¬ mences from the outside position of Tierce and deceives the Parades of Counter in Tierce and Quarte , or Prime and Quarte. How is this thrust to be parried ? ON THE DOUBLING, See. 61 By Tierce or Prime . These thrusts are generally made as first attacks, but may some¬ times be executed as ripostes. Section V. The Feint One, Two ami Deceive the Cii cie. r The Feint called One , Two and Deceive the Circle , must necessarily begin from the inside position of Quarte, and is thus executed:— Disengage and advance your point upon the outside of your antagonist’s arm, and upon his turning his wrist to defend himself with the parade of Tierce, disengage a second time, making a complete extension with your point in line, but rather low ; when he attempts to form the Parade of Circle upon this motion, make your last disengagement over his wrist , whilst he is in the act of dropping his point, and immediately bringing your foil into line, longe at his body under the arm. In this movement you deceive the Parades of Tierce and Circle. i 68 THE FEINT ONE, TWO, How is One , two and Deceive the Circle to be parried ? Either by the parade of Octave or Quinte. Section VI. One, Two and Deceive the Counter . One, two and Deceive the Counter , is a feint that you may begin from either side of the blade, but it is more frequently used com¬ mencing from the position of Tierce, as the parades your opponent must necessarily make to enable you to complete this movement, are more readily and frequently used from this engagement, and, consequently, the opportu¬ nity occurs oftener on this side. From an outside position, therefore, make your disen¬ gagement to the inside of the body, extend¬ ing your right arm ; upon the feint being an¬ swered by the parade of Quarte, return to the outside with an extension of the body : upon your opponent forming the counter in Quarte, to this second movement, before he brings his AND DECEIVE THE COUNTER. 69 blade sufficiently round to meet yours in Quarte, make your last disengagement over the arm, and thrust home towards his breast. Thus, the two last disengagements commence from Quarte, and are both directed towards the outside ; the former, with the extension of the body, as a feint, and the latter, which ter¬ minates the movement, with thelonge. These feints, as I before observed, may be made, be¬ ginning with the first disengagement on the outside of the arm, upon precisely the same principles. In making One , two and Deceive the Counter , commencing from an outside po¬ sition, you deceive Quarte and the counter in Quarte ; from the inside, you deceive Tierce and the counter in Tierce. How are you to defend yourself against these movements ? If the thrust terminate upon the outside of the arm, you must defend yourself by Tierce or Prime ; if on the inside by Quarte, or if the the thrust be delivered low, you may parry it with Circle. 70 FEINT FLANCONNADE. Section VII. Feint Flanconnade . Feint Flanconnade can be commenced only from the engagement of Quarte , upon the necessary opening being given under the arm for the thrust of Flanconnade. You must then seize* with your fort the foible of your adversary’s sword, and immediately drop your point with the extension, under his arm, as though you purposed making a longe in Flan¬ connade : this motion will most probably oblige him to form either the parade of Octave or Quinte, which you will deceive by disen¬ gaging over his wrist to the inside of his body, whilst he is in the act of making either of these movements. You deceive in this feint Quinte or Octave, How is the thrust to be parried? * To Seize the Blade is a term of the Art, and is syno¬ nymous with to Command the Blade .—See Fate, page 33. FEINT FLANCONNADE. 71 If Octave is the parade deceived, Quarte will be the more ready defence ; but if Quinle is deceived, Prime or Tierce can be more quickly formed, from the wrist being already in the proper position for either of these pa¬ rades. The opposition is here to be regulated as in Feint Seconde, Section VIII. Feint One , Two and Deceive Octave. How and from what situations is this feint to be made ? It is commenced from either the outside or inside engagement. If from the inside of the arm, the first movement of the feint is made to the outside , and upon the adversary answer¬ ing it by the parade of Tierce , the second is presented under his arm ; when he attempts to parry this disengagement by Octave, you will make your final movement round over his wrist, and terminate the thrust inside of the arm. 72 FEINT ONE, TWO, &C. What parades do you deceive in this feint ? Tierce and Octave. How should the thrust be parried ? By Quarte , Prime , or Tierce ; although the two last parades are, in this case, difficult of execution. If the thrust be directed low, it may be opposed by Circle. When this feint is commenced from the outside of the arm, the parades deceived are Quarte and Octave , and the thrust is parried in the same way as in the former example. Section IX. Feint Seconde and Deceive Quarte. This feint is always commenced from an outside engagement , whether it be made as an attack or return. It is executed thus : make feint Seconde upon your opponent, without advancing your point home to the body on either motion ; but, upon his attempting to parry the last movement of this feint by Quar¬ te , you will then, whilst he is forming his pa~ i FEINT SECONDE, &C. 73 rade, disengage under his wrist, and longe on the outside of the arm, thus deceiving the pa¬ rades of Quinte or Octave , and Quarte. How is this thrust to be parried ? By Tierce , Prime, or the counter in Quarte. Section X. Feint Seconde and Deceive Tierce, This feint differs from the former only in the last disengagement , which, in this case, is made to the inside of the body, upon the ad¬ versary’s attempting to parry the second move¬ ment of the feint by Tierce. In this thrust you deceive the parades of Octave or Quinte , and Tierce. How is it to be parried ? The most ready defence is Quarte. 74 ONE, TWO AND DECEIVE QUARTE, &C. Section XI. One, Two and Deceive Quarte, from the position of Circle. In this feint, the first disengagement is made over the adversary’s wrist, directed towards the body under the arm ; and upon his endeavour¬ ing to form the parade of Octave on this motion, a second disengagement is made over the wrist towards the inside of the body; his readiest parade to this movement will be Quarte , and while he is forming this defence, make your last disengagement under the wrist, and longe with rapidity to the outside of the arm. In this fevit you deceive Octave and Quarte. How is this thrust to be parried ? By Tierce , Prime , or the Counter in Quarte , DOUBLING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ABM. 75 Section XII. Doubling on Both Sides of the Arm. Doubling on both sides is a feint too com¬ plicated to be frequently used in actual Fen- cing ; because it is difficult to follow the adver¬ sary’s sword with certainty through so many different Parades , and there is much danger of time thrusts upon feints which consist of so many disengagements. This feint is com¬ menced from either side of the body: if from the inside , double to the outside of the arm without longeing, and then, before your adver¬ sary meets your blade with the simple jiarade of Tierce , double to the inside of the arm, and complete your longe. This feint is made up¬ on the opposite side on the same principles. What Parades do you deceive in this feint t If you commence from the inside of the arm, you deceive the Counter in Quarle , Tierce and Counter in Tierce ; if from the outside of the 76 DOUBLING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AR3L arm, you deceive Counter in Tierce , Quarte and Counter in Quarte . If the thrust termi¬ nate inside , it is parried by Quarte ; if outside , by Tierce. CHAPTER IV. ON TIME THftUSTS. Section I. Time Thrusts in Opposition. Time thrust thus called, because the suc¬ cess of these movements depends so entirely upon their being executed at the exact moment of time employed by your adversary in plan¬ ning or executing an attack upon you, when made correctly , are by far the most scientific movements in fencing ; since it is necessary you should possess great judgment and depth of design in the planning them, as well as con¬ siderable accuracy and precision in their exe¬ cution. The adversary should be led, by your well conceived stratagem, to make the 78 TIME THRUSTS. thrust you wish; or, if that be not the case, you must discover what attack he meditates, and possess sufficient qucikness and decision in your movements, immediately to take your time thrust as he commences his feint, or to wait till he completes his longe , as the occa¬ sion may require. There are two sorts of time thrusts : in the execution of the one, it is ne¬ cessary that the blades should cross each other, and that you should be strictly in opposition ; but for the completion of the other, it is not absolutely necessary that the blades should even meet. Those time thrusts , in the execu¬ tion of which the blades cross, are more scien¬ tific, and expose the fencer less to exchanged hits ; I shall, therefore, notice them first. To take these thrusts , you must foresee, to a cer¬ tainty, on which side of the body your oppo¬ nent's attack will terminate; as it is upon the last disengagement of his feint , however com¬ plicated it may be, that you must take the time . There are two time thrusts in opposition: viz. The Time over the arm , and the Time in Octave . The former of these is applicable to all thrusts , however simple or complex the feint may be, provided the longe is made up- TIME THRUSTS. 79 on the outside. All longes directed to the inside of the body or under the arm , are exposed to the time in Octave. Thus every thrust made in fencing affords an opportunity for the execution of one of these two move¬ ments. Explain how these movements are to be made ? Time thrusts , which are taken in opposition , can only be made, with any degree of cer¬ tainty, when you have correctly ascertained what attack your opponent wishes to execute upon you : for it is necessary that you should assist each movement of his feint, by making the parades he wishes to deceive, and upon his last disengagement and longe , you take the time . To induce your adversary to attempt any particular thrust upon you, you must, pre¬ viously to his commencing his attack , shew him, as though it were by accident, with what parade you intend answering his first disen¬ gagement , which, if well done on your part, will, naturally suggest to him the propriety of deceiving the parade which, he will imagine, you have inadvertently shewn ; and it is upon the completion of this feint, that your thrust 80 TIME THRUSTS. must take effect. Now, suppose the blades to be joined on the outside:—give your oppon¬ ent a good opening towards the inside of your body, by pressing his blade completely out of the line on the side on which the swords join, and at the same time, turn your wrist in Tierce : this opening being given, will appear to shew that you wish him to attack , and the position of your wrist will indicate that yon intend parrying the Counter in Tierce upon any disengagement he may make; the natu¬ ral attack for him, therefore, under these cir¬ cumstances, will be doubling to the inside of the body. The time thrust to be made upon the Doubling to the inside, will be in Octave. The adversary commences his attack from the outside position, by making a simple disen- gagement , which you will answer by the Coun¬ ter in Tierce : he will then complete his doubl¬ ing to deceive your parade. During this final disengagement and consequent longe, you will turn your wrist to Quarte , and immediately cross his blade, so as to bring yourself to the position of Octave, but with the point directed to his body under his arm ; so that, upon the completion of his longe , in consequence of the TIME THUUSTS. 81 opposition of your thrust, his blade Will be out of line under the arm. I will now in¬ stance a few of the most simple and evident attacks which are exposed to the Time in Oc¬ tave. Upon a simple disengagement from an outside position, it may be executed by quickly dropping your blade across your opponent’s, and bringing the point in line under his arm in Octave , with an extension , just as his blade has changed its situation from the out to the in¬ side. Upon a simple disengagement made by your adversary under the arm, from the posi¬ tion of Circle , it is taken by merely making an extension or longeing as he disengages; strictly observing that you seize his foible by opposing strongly in Octave . The Time in Octave taken upon these two simple disengage¬ ments , is the most easy way this movement can be made; although, in this case, it re¬ quires great precision and quickness of execu¬ tion, but less design than where a feint pre~ cedes the thrust. Where you discover an in¬ clination on the part of your antagonist to at¬ tack by “ One , Twof from the engagement of Quarte, answer his feint upon the outside by Tierce, as if you were really deceived ; and on 82 TIME THRUSTS. the second disengagement for the completion of his thrust inside , take the time under the arm, by dropping your foil over his, from Tierce to Octave. Having noticed a sufficient number of attacks coming inside and under the arm for the pupil to understand how the Time Thrusts in Octave are applied, I shall now proceed to observe, that all direct attacks in which the final movement is intended either inside or under the arm , afford an opportunity for the time in Octave. Where your adver¬ sary’s last disengagement terminates inside of the arm , your motion, in taking the time, will consist in merely crossing his blade in Quarte , and, by a continuation of the same motion, dropping your point to the position of Octave: and where the thrust terminates under the arm, you have merely to oppose your fort tohis/or- still preserving your situation in Octave.—See Plate 11 . Upon any direct attack which ends by a thrust over the arm , the outside time thrust may be made. Upon a simple disengagement from the inside position,it is executed thus: hav¬ ing judged the attack your opponent is about to make, upon his quitting your blade to exe cute it, immediately change your position from voyueft '-jf aafsvMMJJ u i y * ' . » ■ ' I ■ i ! > • TIME THRUSTS. 83 the in to the outside , the hand remaining? in O Quarte; and as he completes his attack, you will, without chanmno; the Dosition of your O O L j wrist, oppose the fort of your blade to the foible of his, with your point in line with his body, over the arm : so that, if his thrust be made well home, you will have little more to do than to extend your arm and preserve this position, to cause him to longe upon your point. The time upon all outside thrusts is taken in precisely the same way, it being un¬ derstood that all the preparatory feints must be properly answered: for instance, your ad¬ versary wishes to make One , 7’tco, from the outside; answer his feint One by Quarte , and, upon the second movement, take the time thrust over the arm. He wishes to Double from an inside position ; upon the first disen¬ gagement parry the Counter in Quarte : he de¬ ceives that by Doubling; upon his last motion take the time.—See Plate 12. It is unnecessary to give any more instances, since all time thrusts are taken on the same principles. The time thrusts in opposition can only be taken, with any degree of certainty, upon correct attacks , made with design, and executed with decision. TIME THRUSTS C.l o -t. Time thrusts in opposition require, in most cases, merely an extension of the arm and body ; but when the adversary makes his at¬ tack from a situation beyond his correct dis¬ tance, a longe on your part is necessary, which you must execute simultaneously with his thrust. The opponent’s foil must be followed through the various motions of the feint, and, on this final disengagement, your longe is made. Thus both parties fall on the longe at the same instant; but, from the security af¬ forded by your opposition, his blade should be turned completely out of the line of your body, and your point take effect on his breast* Section II. Time Thrusts out of Opposition. Those Time thrusts in which the opposition is not essential, are principally made upon in¬ correct movements of the adversary, where he exposes himself by the exceeding wideness of his attacks j—or by quitting the blade in a dan- TIME THRUSTS. 85 gerous situation ;—or by making too many dis¬ engagements in his feints; or, in fact, by giv¬ ing a variety of openings, which the judgment of the fencer must determine how he is to take advantage of. As this thrust is practised almost entirely upon irregular attacks, it will be unnecessary to give more than general rules for its application. If your adversary advance whilst he is in the act of making any feint in which he quits the blade, he must expose him¬ self to this thrust , which should be taken by you at the precise moment of his stepping forward; otherwise your movement will be dangerous, and therefore should not be at¬ tempted. After you have made an attack up¬ on your opponent, which he has parried, if he quits your blade to make an y feint, as a re¬ turn before you recover on guard , he will be liable to this time thrust. In short, this move¬ ment may be correctly applied upon all wide and irregular attacks , in which your adversa¬ ry’s point is so far out of line at the moment of its being taken, that there is no danger of an exchanged hit; as, in that case, the person thus attempting the time thrust will be totally wrong. It will perhaps not be improper to TIME THKUjSTS. 8 b state here, that, if you are hit by your an¬ tagonist whilst you are in the act of taking any time thrust , either in or out of opposition, it must arise entirely from your movement being either ill-judged or executed badly ; therefore, in correct fencing , although both thrusts take effect, only his should be counted. In the ex¬ ecution of the time out of opposition, a longe is always necessary, from this movement be¬ ing made during the opponent’s feints, and not on the final disengagement, as in the for- mer species of Time Thrust. The Remise is made upon your adversary’s quitting your blade to make a feint as a return too soon after having parried your attack; (hat is, before you recover on guard again. ^ on deliver this thrust without recovering from your, longe, but merely making a little inclina¬ tion of the body backwards, to induce him, after he has parried your attack, to commence his feint too soon, under the idea that you are recovering to the position of the Guard. Time thrusts in opposition , when made quite correctly, upon good attacks, are, perhaps, the finest movements in fencing; but young fen¬ cers should attempt them very seldom, from TIME THRUSTS, 87 the great clanger of misjudging the attack, and thus exposing themselves to the certainty of being hit. The time out of opposition is attended with still greater danger, from its success depending upon the wideness and ir¬ regularity of your adversary’s movements, ra¬ ther than upon the security of your own situ¬ ation, afforded by the opposition in the for¬ mer species of time thrust . Having now stated what, I conceive, to be the correct mode of making all the Parades used in fencing, the greater part of the simple Thrusts , Feints , and Time thrusts, with their technical definitions, the opportunities abso¬ lutely necessary for their being made with an adversary, and the proper mode of defence against them, 1 will endeavour to explain a practice called Quarte and Tierce with its sa- lute , and also the salute usually introduced be¬ fore commencing the assault in a fencing- room, or before company. CHAPTER V. ON THE PRACTICE OF QUARTE AND TIERCE, THE. COUNTERS, AND THE FENCING SALUTE. Section I. Quarte and Tierce. It was probably thought necessary, when Fencing was comparatively little known, that there should be some intermediate practice for the pupil, between the lesson from his master and his making the assault; for which purpose, it appears, he was taught to longe , from a proper distance, at the wall. This ex¬ ercise was thence called by the French ‘ Tirer au Mur ,’ and was considered as conducive to¬ wards placing the learner well upon his legs ; accustoming him to measure his distance cor- rectly, and to let his motions follow each QUAltTE AND TIEltCE. 89 other in their right succession in making his extension and longe . Observation induced masters, as the art became better understood, to place pupils together for their mutual ad¬ vantage ; the one to attack by simple disen¬ gagements, and the other to parry by Quarte and Tierce alternately ; which practice, from its origin, was called for a considerable time (and is even to the present day by fencers of the old school) c Tirer au Mur .* It is now, however, generally known by the title ot Quarte and Tierce , and, in its improved state, is not merely meant as an exercise for the scholar, but also as a graceful display of some of the principal motions in fencing: it should inva¬ riably be practised for, at least, a few minutes before commencing the assault. When fen¬ cing before company, it is never dispensed with. Although Quarte and Tierce appears very simple in its execution, it is exceedingly useful to fencers in all stages of their pro¬ gress, and difficult to acquire so correctly, that all its movements come in their proper suc¬ cession, and with the grace and accuracy cha¬ racteristic of a good fencer. 90 QUAKTE AND TIEIICE. Describe to me the method of thrusting Quarfe and Tierce ? For the better elucidation of these practices, it will be advisable to give instructions as if to both parties, since the movements described are so inseparably connected, that their cor¬ rect execution depends entirely on the assis¬ tance which each derives from the other. Place yourselves in an upright position out of each other’s reach, with the heels toge¬ ther, and the feet at right angles : then, keep¬ ing correct time, pass your foils gracefully across the left side of the body, by bending the right arm, and at the same time raising © 7 o the left to its situation above the head, by a similar circular motion ; so that the arms pass each other on the left side of the body; then place yourselves in the position preparato¬ ry to coming on 4 Guard ,’ but with the wrists in Tierce and the points considerably out of the line, so as to leave the body quite un¬ covered. Now advance the right foot and fall firmly on Guard , the wrist and point re¬ maining out ofline. Whilst in this position it is usual to pass the compliment of inviting V QUARTEAND TIERCE. 91 the opponent to longe first;* when you have settled this point, let the one who is to com¬ mence thrusting , measure his proper distance, by making a longe at the left side of his ad¬ versary’s body without touching him.f After pausing a short time in this situation, at the same instant the one will recover from the longe, and the other from his position on guard , with the hollow of the right foot brought close behind the left heel, the knees straightened, and the right arm completely extended in an oblique direction, so that the hand will be elevated above the head : the point must be rather lower than the wrist, and the left arm down as upon the longe. Now, * The compliments passed formerly before either party would commence longeing Quarte and Tierce, were exceedingly trou¬ blesome ; in some instances, when you had gone thi'ough the usual routine of politeness, and were obliged to begin, you were taught to do it with a bow, saying c par obeisance The propriety of offering the adversary to commence will natu¬ rally suggest itself to every gentleman, and also that the offer should not be pressed if refused. f The pupil should be careful not to hit his opponent in taking his distance, I mention this, as it is frequently done by inexperienced fencers, and has been known to produce .quarrels, being generally construed into rudeness. 92 QUARTE AND TIERCE. carefully, from this position, salute in Quarte , by making that Parade with a wide and open motion, bending the arm and bringing the hand in towards the upper part of your chest before you commence ; then do it slowly and with grace; at the same time turning your hand and directing the eyes to the side on which you are saluting: pause a short time in this posture, and then form the parade ol Tierce , first bringing the wrist, with the arm bent, in towards the chest, then extending it slowly to the parade upon the same princi¬ ples as in Quarte ; with the head turned and eyes fixed.* From this position now salute your adversary, by drawing your wrist in to¬ wards your head, with your point considerably raised and sword in line with his body : then * That the motions may follow in better order, and that the compliment of the first salute to the company on both sides may be begun at the same time, it is customary for you to commence the salute always in Quarte, except when per¬ sons of more than ordinary consequence attend your practice, on which occasions you must each salute first towards that side on which they are seated; thus one partv will commence in Tierce and the other in Quarte. It is almost unnecessary to say that if ladies be present, and all placed on one side of the room, the salute mqst be commenced towards that quarter. QT'ARTE AND TIERCE. 93 drop your point and pass your sword round in front of your body, by making a circular mo¬ tion with your right arm, and raising the left by a similar one; so that the arms may pass each other about the middle of the body, as they come to their separate situations in the prepara¬ tory position to coming on Guard: when thus placed, advance the right foot, and immedi¬ ately throw yourself on Guard , with the wrist in Quarte. These movements constitute the Quarte and Tierce salute , which is never omit¬ ted before this practice. The salute being completed, and the blades joined, the person who has taken his distance , will now commence longeing . You will disengage, upon the prin¬ ciples before recommended, from the side on which the blades join, to the opposite one, mark¬ ing the time between the extension and longe very decidedly, so that upon the adverse party making a simple parade , (either Quarte or Tierce as the thrust requires), he will meet the blade while you are on the extension ; im¬ mediately upon which, notwithstanding his having parried, you will complete your longe , and let your foil fall back along your arm, which will of course be extended, so that the 94 QUARTE AND TIERCE. point will, upon an inside thrust , be thrown back upon the outside of your right shoulder, and, on an outside one, upon your chest; thus enabling you to see your opponent between your foil and arm on every longe , if the oppo¬ sition be correctly formed. Upon an outside disengagement, your wrist must be turned in the position of Tierce, and again brought into that of Quarte as you recover from the longe. Particular care must be taken that you not only come firmly upon the longe , but also, that the whole of the movements be correctly executed and in their proper succes¬ sion ; so that after the foot be once down up¬ on the thrust , you may remain, like a statue, until you intend to recover into the position of the guard. This must be done, after a moderately long pause upon the longe , by bringing the point into line by a circular mo¬ tion, gracefully executed, as you recover in the usual manner to this position ; carefully observing that the point must be presented to the opponent’s breast before your foot touches the ground as you come on guards After you have made about a dozen longes alternately in Quarte and Tierce, recover upon guard in the QUARTE AND TIERCE. 9 5 position yen were in before yon took your dis¬ tance: that is, with the wrist in Tierce and out of line, so as totally to uncover your body; which opening being given, your opponent will immediately take his distance, and you will, together, go through the salute as when you commenced.* As your adversary has given you all the necessary ojiciiings, and has assisted you, by his parades, in thrusting at him, so you will now, in like manner, offer him your assistance in making his thrusts on you : thus, upon his coming on guard after the salute , join his blade on the engagement of * If you are thrusting Quarte and Tierce before company, with the intention, afterwards, of making an assault, eight or ten longes delivered by each party will be quite sufficient; more might appear tedious, and would also fatigue you too much to fence afterwards with proper spirit ; but if in the fencing-room with the master, or among pupils, for practice merely, then continue as long as you think necessary for your mutual advantage. You may, also, on such occasions, some¬ times give additional interest to this exercise, by attempting to hit upon the disengagements ; but this should never be done except among friends, and not even then without a previous arrangement to that effect; as it is considered not polite, un¬ less it be understood to be for the purpose of practice on both sides. 96 QUARTE AND TIERCE. Quarte , covering completely the inside of your body, so that you may give him a good open¬ ing over the arm; and, immediately upon his disefigaging to that side, form the parade ol Tierce with a smart jerk of the wrist, and re¬ main on the parade until you perceive he is about to recover again ; then drop your wrist, letting the point fall nearly to the ground,* so that the whole of your body be uncovered, and remain on this position till he is properly fixed on guard , when you will again join the blades on the contrary side to that on which you were before the last disengagement. Press your advesary’s foil out of the line, opposing the fort of your blade to the foible of his (which will both assist his thrust and your pa¬ rade), and upon his disengaging , parry Quarte * The pupil is cautioned against presenting his point to his adversary’s body, after making the Parades of Quarte and Tierce. I notice this in consequence of Fencers frequently directing the point after the parade of Tierce in Seconde, and after Quarte in the position of the return of Quarte, letting the point remain opposite to the body, until the opponent is about to recover on Guard. QUARTE AND TIERCE. 97 with a smart jerk, letting the point afterwards fall as you did before on the opposite side : continue thus, parrying Quarte and Tierce al¬ ternately, as long as your opponent wishes to continue his longes at you. When he feels disposed to cease, it remains with him to con¬ clude the practice; which is done, upon either disengagement, by making all parts of the thrust complete, except the motion of advan¬ cing the right foot; instead of which, he will, as the parade is being formed, bring the heel of the left up close in front to the hollow of the right foot, with both knees straight.* This is the final motion of Quarte and Tierce , and, of course, will be understood as such by the person on the defensive. You must recollect that you never finish your longes in Quarte and Tierce by this movement, except when your opponent commenced the practice. If you intend to make an assault , you will, imme¬ diately after this exercise, take your masks ; and, with them in your left hands, go through the Fencing salute , and, then placing yourselves * It is always the person who is longeing that determines when the practice is to conclude. 98 QUARTE AND TIERCE. out oi each other’s reach, to prevent any sur¬ prise, commence your loose play. Section II. On the Fencing Salute. The Fencing Salute being of no positive use to the fencer, considering him merely as a swordsman , who might, perhaps, object to any introductory ceremony towards an oppo¬ nent with whom he is practising an art for the defence of his life, it may be necessary to state, that the salute is intended principally as a compliment to the company who may be attending to the practice in th e fencing-room ; although it should be remembered that a strict degree of politeness towards your adversary is, at all times, essential when using the foils ; otherwise, fencing might frequently be attend¬ ed with unpleasant results. The want of pro¬ per attention to this is too often the cause of quarrels and consequent duels in French regi¬ ments, where fencing is much encouraged FENCING SALUTE. 99 among the private soldiers. The exercise of arms being almost exclusively confined to gen¬ tlemen, it may appear unnecessary to give any other reason for making this salute , than the civility due from each party to the other, when commencing a practice for mutual advan¬ tage and amusement. Commence the salute from the firstposition,bv passing the sword gracefully across the body as in Quarte and Tierce , and then coming on guard in the engagement of Quai'te. After paus¬ ing an instant in this position, you will stamp twice smartly, and then withdrawing the hol¬ low of the right foot back to the heel of the left, straighten the knees, and at the same in¬ stant raise the right hand, having the arm ex¬ tended in an oblique direction, so that the wrist will be elevated above the head : the point must be rather lower than the wrist, and the left arm dropped as upon the longe. After a short pause in this situation, you will come on guard again, by withdrawing your left foot back to the distance necessary for placing you in this position, at one pace fur¬ ther backward than you were upon first com- ing on guard. You will now stamp twice a- 100 FENCING SALUTE. gain, and then salute the company and your opponent as in Quarte and Tierce ; after which motions you will bring up the heel of the left foot to the hollow of the right, at the same time passing your sword round in front of your body as before described ; and when the point is properly presented, and the left arm is in its correct situation, you will bend your knees, and immediately advancing your right foot to the position of the guard , stamp twice . This is the final movement of what is called the Fencing Salute, allthemotions of which should be made correctly at the same instant by both parties. It is to be regretted that the same salutes are not taught bv all masters. This want of uniformity is frequently the cause of what appears to the observer awkwardness in the fencers, though, in fact, it is the fault of their masters not adopting one general salute , which would enable pupils of different schools to meet, without previous arrangement, and go through all the introductory ceremony of fencing. COUNTERS, &C. 101 Section III. The Counters, < Corresponding opportunities of attack are given, after you have retreated and changed V * the engagement from Tierce to Quarte. But if the design of A. in changing his po¬ sition be correctly understood, it will afford B. the following favourable opportunities of counteracting all the movements made, and turning them to his own advantage, thus; 118 ON THE LESSONS Blades joined on the outside. A. Retreats. B. Advances, his wrist low by design. A. As he advances, longes straight ovei* the arm, which thrust B. Parries, either by Prime or high Tierce , and immediately delivers the return in Seconde. Inside. A. Presents his point to B.’s breast as he is advancing, which he will press out of line in Quarte, to give A. the opening for the commencement of One, two inside, and 19 \j s - l - . v i J : . . c :• - n. i > r \ > l " , CHAPTER VIL ON LEFT-HANDED FENCERS, &C. Section I. Left-hand Fencers. I believe the only useful advice I can give for encountering left-handed men, is to recom¬ mend the pupil to get frequent practice with them ; as the advantages which they at first appear to possess over others, arise from their having frequent opportunities of practising against the right hand, whilst, on the contrary, left-handed persons are comparatively seldom met with in fencing-rooms. This circumstance gives their positions and movements an appearance of novelty, exceed- 126 LEFT-HAND FENCERS. ingly annoying to an amateur who has not studied these reversed fencing evolutions. Cceteris paribus , nature has given the left- handed man no advantages in fencing which the right-handed man does not also possess; any difficulties, therefore, arising from the in¬ verted positions will be easily overcome by practice, and occasionally getting lessons from your master with his left hand. In actual combat the left-handed person la¬ bours under a serious disadvantage, as many wounds of the lungs alone have been known to do well, which, if carried to an equal depth on the left side, would immediately have pro¬ duced fatal consequences by wounding the heart. IRREGULAR FENCERS. 127 Section II. On Irregular Fencers. ct Ferallieurs,” as they are called by the French, or irregular fencers, being very often met with in all fencing-rooms, it is necessary I should notice them, and lay down some mode of defence which may be generally ap¬ plicable to such of their movements as devi¬ ate materially from the established rules of the art. For instance, there are persons who, upon being attacked, instead of making the least defence, will, at the same instant, attempt a straight thrust upon their adversary ; and thus, if they succeed, a mutual hit will be the re¬ sult. If this mode be objected to upon the score of its incorrectness, it is replied that, as the hits were delivered at the same moment, (which is frequently the case), they are equal¬ ly good ; or the objector is sometimes told, * h 128 IRREGULAR F F. \ C E R S. that he should have secured himself by a pro¬ per opposition. This, however, is not correct reasoning ; tor if I commence the attack, my adversary, being aware of the object intended on my part, ought, upon the plainest principles of nature, to attempt a defence : for, by endeavouring to effect an exchange of thrusts, the greatest suc¬ cess lie can possibly meet with is the destruc¬ tion of both of us. This, surely, cannot be the object of any fencer; nor do I believe that, sword in hand, any man, however igno¬ rant of the art, would be bold enough to incur almost the certainty of receiving his adversa¬ ry’s point in his body, for the mere chance of making an exchange hit. This desperate game is more frequently played with the foil than with the sword.* * Mr Arnold, one of the best amateur fencers of the pre¬ sent day, relates the following anecdote of himself and the late Monsieur Mollard, fencing.master at the Royal Acade¬ my, Woolwich, Mr Arnold and a friend, in making an assault together be¬ fore Monsieur Mollard, were accustomed to attack each other in the most wild and irregular manner; frequently running in irregular fencers. 129 There is another mode adopted by these “ Ferailleurs,” exceedingly annoying to young fencers. instead oF longeing, to the great annoyance of the old gentle¬ man their master. Upon such occasions he would tell them, “ that he had seen many duels take place, and had himself fought some ; and they might rely upon it, that no man, un¬ less he were a fool or a madman, would ever run thus upon the point of a sword.” These gentlemen were not 3o easy to be convinced ; and they contended it was impossible for men to be cool enough to stand at the distance of a longe, and defend themselves, strictly, according to principles, with a sword op¬ posed to their breasts. Here the matter rested for a week or two ; but at the end of that, after they had taken their lessons one morning, they were not a little surprised to find the foils given them for the exercise of the assault, tipped at the button with about the eighth of an inch of sharp point. “ This,” Monsieur Mollard carelessly told them, “ would not hurt, but only just draw blood, and serve to shew more correctly when a hit was received ; besides,” he added, “ it would accustom them to fencing against the point.” He recommended them, therefore, to continue their practice as usual. Mr Arnold and his friend, thus armed, placed them¬ selves immediately out of each other’s reach, and after ad¬ vancing and l’etreating several times, began false attacks, and longes out of distance ; but both of them appeared determined not to come close enough for his opponent to hit him with a longe. Monsieur Mollard, after frequently enquiring why they did not begin according to custom, his patience at length being quite exhausted, started up with this emphatic enquiry :— “ Are you not ashamed, gentlemen, after talking of running I 130 IRREGULAR FENCERS. After making an unsuccessful attack upon you, instead of recovering into the position of the guard, to prepare for the riposte, they re¬ main upon their longe, repeating their thrusts two or three times, so that, although your pa¬ rade has been correctly formed on the first attack, yet if your return be not immediately made, it is very probable that their repeated pokes may occasion a mutual hit, unless you are prepared for this irregular style. Turning round after making an attack, to prevent the return being given on that part of the body where thrusts are counted good ; making use of the left hand for the same pur¬ pose, and twisting the body into positions un¬ expected by the young amateur, form, fre¬ quently, part of the (i Ferailleur’s” fencing. When you suspect that you are opposed to a fencer of this description, place yourself out of his distance, and let all your movements be upon the point of a sword , to be thus standing out of each other’s reach, terrified at moving within sight of the eighth part of the point of a needle This reproof had the desired effect; and from that time, Mr Arnold says, they wisely attended to the advice of their master. / IRREGULAR FENCERS. 131 simple, close and decided, until you have as¬ certained in what manner he intends to attack you. If you find he designs longeing at the same moment with you, attack him seldom; but when you do, let it be in a decided manner, in one of the following ways. Make, from the inside, One , two without longeing, and without attempting to go home to the body, merely that you may induce your opponent to commence his favourite straight thrust : this you must parry by a smart jerk in Quarte, and immediately return your thrust home on the same line, before he has time to rejoin the blades, or to repeat his poke. You may, if you prefer it, after this sam e feint, One , two , take the Time thrust in Octave , upon his longeing inside of the arm as you anticipated. This false attack is likewise made upon the outside on precisely the same principles, but, of course, Tierce or Prime must be the parades used against your adversary’s thrust , and, in all cases, your riposte must be on the same line with the parade, and delivered immedi¬ ately. The Time over the arm may also be taken on this occasion. IRREGULAR FENCERS, 1 1>>2 % if your oppoiiem keep an extended guard, and allows you to get a good hold of his blade with yours, the safest mode of attack will then be, never to quit his foil whilst deliver¬ ing your thrust. This is to be done by bind¬ ing the blade in Flanconna.de , or, from the po¬ sition of Circle , returning over the arm, or, from Prime turning the wrist suddenly to Quarte over the arm , without quitting the blade whilst you make the attack. Which of these movements is preferable, must be determined by the relative situation of you and your opponent at the time you meditate your attack. During the execution of them your blade never quits your adversa¬ ry’s ; and when your sword is brought into line upon the side on which the thrust is to be finally delivered, then his point, from your opposition , is necessarily turned quite out of the direction of your body. If these thrusts be correctly made, they are, perhaps, the safest that can be attempted with a fencer who tries to exchange hits with you; but you must be particularly careful to prevent his leaving your blade during the time you are executing your attack. IRREGULAR FENCERS. 133 In fact, when fencing with a person of this description, the less you quit his blade the safer your game will be. Sometimes simple disengagements and straight thrusts may be made with success, if they are executed with great quickness and precision, and the opposi¬ tion is well attended to; but more complicat¬ ed feints will always give the irregular fencer an opportunity of making his favourite ex¬ change-hit, which the more skilful must try to prevent. If the adversary attack, and, whilst on his longe , repeats his thrusts without attempting to recover or defend himself against the ri¬ poste, it will be necessary, for your security against his irregular hits, that you judge cor¬ rectly the first attack he makes upon you, up¬ on which form a decided and strong parade: this will send his blade out of the direction of your body, and before he can bring his point into line again to repeat his thrust, you will return straight upon him. To do this well, it is essential that you be firmly placed in the position of the guai'd , and that you remain so whilst forming your parade and executing your riposte . In some cases it is more safe J 34 IRREGULAR FENCEI5S. merely to parry these repeated attacks, (which are in general very simple), and not attempt any return, until your opponent, having fa¬ tigued himself and exhausted his stock of pokes, is about to recover. A very favourable opportunity is then given to make your re¬ turn, which must be executed with spirit. To do this with safety you must be at a very good distance from your opponent. If any irregular method be adopted to co¬ ver that part of the body where thrusts in fencing are counted, and you are thus depri¬ ved of the possibility of hitting your oppon¬ ent after having deceived him, it becomes necessary that you should mention the impro- -4 priety of such unfair conduct. Such persons should be informed that if hits are accounted good in fencing only when delivered upon a certain small portion of the right breast, this regulation of the school is merely for the ad¬ vantage of the practice, as it obliges the fencer to be more precise in the delivery of his thrusts. It is, therefore, understood that this part of the body should be fairly opposed to the adversary and defended by the sword alone / IRREGULAR FENCERS. 135 But if the right breast be hid by any extra¬ ordinary and unfencer-like manoeuvre, then it becomes necessary to make a fresh arrange¬ ment, and count hits upon that part of the body that is made to take place of the right breast. I shall say nothing farther on the subject of these f feraillenrs,' than to recom¬ mend young swordsmen not to fence any more than they can avoid with such persons, as it will only injure their practice, and probably give them bad habits. CHAPTER VIII. OX DISARMING. oiNCE many masters of the old school, and some, too, of the present day, have treated disarming as a matter of importance in the art, it is necessary I should show the pupil the methods by which it can be accomplished foil in hand , in the fencing-room ; at the same time [demonstrating how incompatible it is with good fencing, from its danger and inuti¬ lity in the field. You may be disarmed by allowing your adversary, with the fort of his blade, to get a great command of the foible of yours in the position of Quarte, if he perform the follow¬ ing movement; Upon feeling that he has the command of your foible, he must, quickly and with a smart jerk of the wrist, bind the blade from Quarte to Quinte, with his point directed to your body under the arm in Seconde. This movement is the same thing as Elanconnade, 4 137 ON mSAKMfVG. except that it is executed with a violent jerk from the wrist, and that the hand, durincr its execution, is turned to the position of Quinte. By your adversary’s taking you by surprise, changing the engagement suddenly from the position of quarte, and making a strong beat on the foible of your blade, with the fort of his in Tierce, you may either be disarmed, or have your foil thrown sufficiently out of your grasp to enable him to deliver his thrust be¬ fore you can recover yourself. If you do not immediately recover after an attack, to which your opponent has parried Prime, you allow another favourable opportu¬ nity for him to change quickly to the parade of Quarte made over your point, whilst your wrist remains in an elevated situation on the Longe. If his parade of Quarte be made smartly, and with a full command of your foible , the result will be similar to that noti¬ ced above. These are almost the only means by which disarming can be attempted with any probability of success, even with the foil in hand. There are, however, various other movements occasionally taught for this pur¬ pose ; such as,—upon your opponent’s longe, 138 ON DISARMING. getting his foil under your right arm, and placing the pummel of your sword under* the shell of his ; then, by suddenly drawing back your arm, forcing the handle out of his grasp. Another method is, raising your adversary's sword hand, upon his longeing at you, and securing his point at the same time under your left arm; then immediately seizing the Mlt of his sword with your left hand, whilst you advance your left foot in front of your right. There are, indeed, innumerable methods of disarming shown in some of the old treatises on fencing ; but as they appear to me equally absurd and impracticable, I shall not notice them any farther. My object in this publi¬ cation is not to dwell upon movements which I do not recommend, but to place before the amateur, in as concise and clear a wav as I am able, those only which I conceive would really be of utility in the field. You will almost wholly counteract the de¬ signs of persons wishing to disarm you, by * The under part of the Shell i? that towards the Pummel, ON DISARMING. 139 never giving them what is technically called the command of the blade. This security is easily attainable, if you observe the following directions. Upon the blades beingjoined, get your point as close down as possible to the fort of your opponent’s foil, which will prevent his obtain¬ ing the command of a sufficient quantity of the weak part of yours to at all annoy you; or, you may draw in your arm and raise your point considerably when you come on guard; and, upon the blades being joined, always keep your fort opposed to your adversary’s foible . Either of these precautions will pre¬ vent his ever having sufficient power over you—even to attempt his trick, as it can never be accomplished unless you, in some way, al¬ low great command of your foible to be ob¬ tained. The only advantage of disarming is the annoying persons with whom you prac¬ tise; for it is rendered nugatory sword in hand, by the use of a sword-knot, with which, I presume, every person well acquainted with the weapon, takes especial care to fasten it to his wrist in a serious affair. It will thus be clearly perceived, that as the manoeuvre of 140 ON DISARMING. disarming is defeated by the common precau¬ tion of fastening your sword in your hand, it can, therefore, answer no other purpose than that of making your play heavy and unplea¬ sant ; whilst, at the same time, it takes from your quickness, in consequence of the strength it requires for the execution of its movements, and affords your adversary most favourable moments of attack, whilst you are binding his blade. In short, I consider disarming as character¬ istic of unskilful fencing, and again advise young fencers, who wish to become expert in the art, never to attempt it; since perfection in the trick can only tend to render their fen¬ cing disagreeable with the foil and ineffec¬ tive with the sword. Volt-ing , demi-volting , Perouctting , parrying with, and opposing the left hand, are manoeu¬ vres now totally disused in fencing. CHAPTER IX. ON ERRONEOUS OPINIONS. here are persons who imagine that a know¬ ledge of fencing is subversive of natural courage, as it shews you the imminent dan¬ ger to which you are exposed in every move¬ ment you make with sword in hand ;—that this knowledge would induce great nervous indeci¬ sion, when opposed to an adversary in a seri¬ ous affair; whilst, on the other hand, a man unacquainted with the art, and consequently not aware of his danger, might, from the de¬ cision of fearless ignorance, succeed against a moderately good fencer. This reasoning is as absurd, as it would be to suppose, that a man totally unacquainted with anatomy, would perform an operation 142 ERRONEOUS OPINIONS. better than an accomplished surgeon. For surely it may, with equal propriety, be urged as a recommendation of the former, that he is not aware of the danger he incurs of killing his patient, by wounding arteries, or injuring viscera : while the latter is restrained, by cau¬ tion, from a knowledge of the difficulty at¬ tendant on his undertaking. Secret Thrusts .—1 am frequently asked, (and I suppose the same question is often put to other masters), Whether there are not certain secret thrusts, which Professors reserve for them¬ selves, or sell for an extravagant remuneration. The erroneous idea of there being infallible movements in fencing, must have originated in one of the following causes. Certain masters, ignorant of the art they pretend to teach, finding themselves over¬ matched by amateurs, (perhaps their own pupils), in order to conceal the inferiority of their practice, have endeavoured to make the inexperienced scholar imagine, that they were not willing to divulge all the thrusts in their profession. Others, destitute of all principle, having met with persons who wished to become fencers, ERRONEOUS OPINIONS. 143 without giving up the time and labour neces¬ sary to a finished acquirement of the art, have pretended to sell them secret passes , applicable on all occasions. Either of these causes will account for the ridiculous notion of the existence of secret thmsts. To shew the great absurdity of supposing any mode of attack which is not to be coun¬ teracted by some of the usual Parades of the art, it will only be necessary to recall the at¬ tention of the pupil to the three divisions of the body, which comprehend every possible opening , that can be afforded in any position into which you can place yourself. For each of these openings, it will be remembered, there are two distinct simple parades , which fully answer every thrust that can be made at the body ; and added to these, are the round parades , which, if made wide, form the entire circle of that part of the person exposed in fencing. Since the defence with the small sword is so simple and perfect, it will plainly follow, that no hit can be given otherwise, than through rapidity of movement, in the delivery of 144 ERRONEOUS OPINIONS. simple thrusts at wide openings, afforded by the position of the opponent, or by well conceived feints ; these induce him to cover his body where there is no real danger, by a sudden parade, and so leave exposed that part against which your thrust is really meditated, and where you immediately deliver it, whilst he is in the act of answering your feint. It will thus appear, that every thrust , during its execution, is a secret; but the moment it is completed, it is understood by all fencers who have seen the progress of its execution. Such secret thrusts as the ignorant or design- ing Charlatan pretends to the knowledge of, are, therefore, mere chimeras. So great is the infatuation of many persons on the subject of this infallible receipt for run¬ ning people through the body, that some years since, a nobleman, to whose sons my father / was at that time giving lessons of fencing, was so incensed at a doubt being entertained of the infallibility of a secret thrust he had learned on the Continent, that he invited my father to a trial of its efficacy. His Lordship, after a few extraordinary movements, attacked mv father with his infal- ERRONEOUS OPINIONS. 145 lible thrust which the latter 'parried, with ease, and in the return, gave his illustrious op¬ ponent a palpable hit. Whether this con¬ vinced his Lordship or no, I will not pretend to say ; but from that time forward, the kind attention he had before always shewn my father, was visibly on the decline, and he was henceforth allowed to give Ins instructions to the sons, without the presence of his Lord- ship, who a short time afterwards took occa¬ sion to let them discontinue their fencing les¬ sons altogether. I have been diffuse in animadverting on this subject, to correct, as much as possible, every species of Charlataurie that may creep into the art through the ignorance or cupidity of its professors. CHAPTER X. NECESSARY QUALIFICATIONS FOll A MASTER, &C. Section I. Necessary Qualifications for a Master . 1 iie scarcity of really scientific masters must, I think, be the principal reason that so few good theoretical and practical amateurs are found. A master, to be properly qualified to com¬ mence instruction from the first positions, and to continue useful through all the stages of improvement, until the pupil be an expert fencer, must himself be a perfect adept in the theory of the art, and equally skilled in the practical application of bis theoretical know- NECESSARY QUALIFICATIONS FOR A MASTER. 147 ledge. The learner will thus derive the ad- vantage of always having a model to which he can refer as a standard of excellence to reform errors in his own theory or practice. Besides possessing a thorough knowledge of the theory, and the power of applying it in the assault, it is also necessary that the teacher should be able to communicate his knowledge to his pupil, by easy and well-arranged pro¬ gressive lessons; making him understand when and why every motion is made. The extreme difficulty of acquiring suffi¬ cient excellence in the art to become, at the same time, a scientific master and superior practical fencer, will account for the number of professors we meet with whose talents are below mediocrity.* * During the visit which the celebrated Chevalier de St George paid to England, he and my father were sent for from London, to have the honour of fencing together before his present Majesty, then Prince of Wales, at the Royal Pavilion, at Brighton. After the assault, the Prince expressing his satisfaction, said “ Monsieur Roland, tire bien to which St George re¬ plied “ Monseigneur, C’est peu dc le voir tirer, il faut 1c voir clonner le^on.” US NECESSARY QUALIFICATIONS This applies particularly to England, where fencing, until lately, was but comparatively little cultivated, and where, therefore, good fencers not meeting with due encouragement, did not find it their interest to remain ; while bad ones, on the contrary, sought a country where their imperfections were less likely to be dis¬ covered. “ Dans le royawne dcs avengles les borgnes sont rois. ” I am, however, happy to observe that the cultivation of fencing has, of late years, in¬ creased so much in England, that both the Universities, and nearly all the Public Schools (and most private ones too, of any extent), have fencing masters who attend them re ; j . LIFE OF THE CHEV, ST. GEORGE. it must be interesting to every lover of the Art to know something of the most celebrated Fencer, who has, perhaps , ever made his appearance in Europe, any introductory apology for giving a short account of the Life of the Chev. St. George , would be unnecessary in a Treatise on Fe?icing; 1 therefore, without farther preface on the subject, give the following from a new edition of the late Mr Angelo's Work, published a short time since in London, by his Son. ] 1 he Chevalier de St. George was bom at Guadaloupe. He was the son of M. de Bou¬ logne, a rich planter in the colony, and who became the more fond of him, as he was the result of an illicit connexion, a circumstance by no means uncommon in the West Indies. His mother was a negress, and was known un¬ der the name of the handsome Nanon, she 1 26 LIFE OF THE was justly considered as one of the finest wo¬ men that Africa had ever sent to the planta¬ tions ; the Chevalier de St. George united in his own person, the grace and the features of his mother, with the strength and firmness of M. de Boulogne. The youth’s vigour was highly pleasing to the father, who frequently laughed and said, he thought to have produced a man, but that in fact he had produced a sparrow. This sparrow, however, grew into an eagle. No man ever united so much sup¬ pleness to so much strength. He excelled in all the bodily exercises in which he engaged; an excellent swimmer and skaiter, he has been frequently known to swim over the Seine with one arm, and to surpass others by his agility upon its surface in the winter;—he was a skilful horseman, and a remarkable shot—* he rarely missed his aim, when his pistol was once before the mark ;—his talents in music unfolded themselves rapidly: but the art in which he surpassed all his cotemporaries and predecessors, was Fencing; no professor or amateur ever showed so much accuracy, such strength, such length of longe, and such quick¬ ness-—his attacks were a perpetual series of hits ClIEV. ST. GEORGE. 157 —his parade was so close that it was in vain to attempt to touch him—in short, he was all nerve. St. George had not attained his 21st year, when his father proposed him to go to Rouen, and to fence with M. Picard, a Fen¬ cing-Master of that place, with a promise, that if he beat him, he should have, on his return, a little horse and a pretty cabriolet. Like Caesar, he came, saw, and conquered, and St. George had his cabriolet. This Picard had been formerly in the army, and harangued very foolishly against the necessity of science. St. George, whom he called the Mulatto of Laboissiere, would, he publicly asserted, soon give way to him—but he was mistaken, for Laboissiere’s pupil beat him with ease. M. de Boulogne survived but a short time _ this first triumph of his son ; he left him an annuity of 7 or 8000 francs, and an adequate pension to his handsome Nanon, whom he brought to Paris. The remainder of his im¬ mense fortune went to a daughter of his by a Creole woman : but the various talents of St. George were like a mine of gold. He might have amassed considerable wealth, if he had 158 LIFE OF THE united prudence to his other qualities. He was very liberal in money matters, and indul¬ ged freely in all the pleasures which then made Paris such a delightful residence: he mixed in every circle, and yet seemed to ne¬ glect nothing. His concertos, symphonies, quartettos and some comic operas are the best proofs of his extraordinary progress in music. Though he was very young, he was at the head of the concert of Amateurs : he conduc¬ ted the orchestras of Madame de Montesson, and the Marquis de Montalembert. In 1779, he was received as an inmate into the house of the Duke of Orleans, and held the rank of Lieutenant de Glasses de Pinci.— He lost this place at the Duke’s death.—This post of honour and of profit was obtained by St George through no mean intrigue, no un¬ derhand proceedings. The loss was serious to him, and he felt it, and he was induced again to apply himself to his favourite art. lie came to London, and had the honour of fencing before his Royal Highness the Re¬ gent with Fabian, a celebrated professor at Paris, and of thrusting Carte and Tierce with CHEY. ST. GEORGE. 159 Mad. de Chevalier d’Eon. He returned to this country in 1789, and was again received by his Royal Highness at Brighton, and went to London, under an idea of establishing him¬ self in this country ; but his plans were so badly laid, that he was altogether unsuccess¬ ful. On his return to France, it was with diffi¬ culty that he could avoid uniting in that asto¬ nishing impulse, which then animated 26 millions of people. He went with the tor¬ rent, and was soon elevated by the prevailing party to a very high rank in the revolutionary army. He was presented with the colonelcy of a regiment of hussars, and in this charac¬ ter served under General Dumourier in Bra¬ bant.—But St George, who was perfectly igno¬ rant of the details of a military life, became a victim of the intrigues and arts of individuals. His regiment charged, and notwithstanding its bravery, was overpowered by the number and discipline of their opponents. He was defeated; and his first steps in the career of glory, were the sera of his downfall, He ne¬ ver after held up his head. LIFE OF TIIE C'HEV. ST GEORGE. m The Chevalier de St. George died at Paris in 1810 or 1811, regretted by his friends, and by the few who know how to feel for and to excuse the imperfections of humanity—quali¬ ties from which none of us can hope to be exempt. 1 CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS. The wise, for cure, on exercise depend : God never made his work for man to mend. Dryden. In concluding this Treatise on the Art of Self-Defence, there is still one consideration which the Author cannot avoid attempting to impress on the recollection of his reader, viz. the healthy and invigorating effect of the ex¬ ercise of Fencing. Among the nations of antiquity, bodily strength and activity were considered of such importance to the State, as to be regulated as matters of public policy ; and no means were L J 62 left unemployed for their cultivation , games and exhibitions were instituted for their dis¬ play, and the successful combatants, crowned with myrtle and laurel, were rewarded by the acclamations and gratitude of their fellow-citi¬ zens. It was not one of the smallest boasts of the great Cyrus, that he was distinguished in all the athletic exercises of the ancient Persians ; and the success of Alcibiades at the Olympic Games, has been handed down to posterity by all his biographers. The found¬ ers of the gymnastic exhibitions of antiquity were the Princes and Legislators of the dif¬ ferent States ; and they founded them for the purpose of forming a brave -and healthy po¬ pulation, vigorous, enterprising, and formid¬ able in war : The combatants consisted of citizens of the highest rank, and many of them were not less distinguished for the per¬ sonal advantages of strength and activity, than as poets, philosophers, and orators. At the present day, when public displays of bodily power have passed from the higher to the in¬ ferior classes of society, and when scarcely any traces of them are to be found except in the wrestling ring and prize fight, it is cer- 163 tainly to be wished, that some plan should be adopted, by which young men of the better ranks may be inured to hardy and vigorous exercises, and fitted to be of effective service to their country, whenever an occasion shall present itself. Perhaps there is no exercise whatever, more calculated for these purposes, than Fencing. —Riding, Walking, Sparring, Wrestling, Run¬ ning, and Pitching the Bar, are all of them certainly highly beneficial ; but, beyond all question, there is no single exercise which combines so many advantages as Fencing: Ry it the muscles of every part of the body are brought into play ;—it expands the chest, and occasions an equal distribution of the blood, and other circulating fluids, through the whole system. More than one case has fallen underthe Author’s own observation, in which affections of the lungs, and a tendency to consumption, have been entirely removed by occasional practice with the foil; and he can state, upon very high medical authority, that since the in¬ stitution of a Salle D’Armes at Geneva, scro¬ fula, which was long lamentably prevalent there, has been gradually disappearing. Nor are these the only advantages to be ascribed to Fencing. Others nearly as valu¬ able should also be presented to the notice of learners. Here are meant, not only the pro¬ perty that this art possesses of correcting de¬ fects of conformation of the body, such as round shoulders, narrowness of chest, stoop¬ ing of the head, weakness of the legs, &c. but also that of imparting to the whole frame a degree of agility and gracefulness not to be attained by any other bodily exercise; to prove which, there needs not much demon¬ stration. Let, for instance, the effects of dancing be considered, it will be found that the legs, almost exclusively, are exercised; while Fencing diffuses its beneficial influence, almost equally, over all parts of the body, not to mention that the mind is constantly and earnestly engaged in calculating the different combinations. The author takes this opportunity of adding to his work the following testimonies of the advantages of Fencing, which were transmit¬ ted to Mr Angelo by professional gentlemen of the very highest medical eminence in the British metropolis. 165 17, Ai,dermanbury, June 13, 1817- ✓ My dear Sir, I regret that it has not till this moment o been in my power to make you a repJy to your letter of last week. I beg now to say, that the value and importance of the Art of Fencing, not only as constituting an essential part of the accomplishments of a gentleman, and adding to his personal security, but as contributing very materially to increase the powers of the constitution, must, it appears to me, be so universally admitted, as to render it unnecessary that any fresh testimony should be offered in its favour. I am certainly of opinion, that, in addition to the amusement which this exercise affords, it is particularly calculated to excite in young persons a great¬ er degree of energy and circumspection than they might otherwise possess ; and, it is ob¬ vious, that, in respect to health, that mode of exertion is to be regarded as superior to all others, which, whilst it gives motion and ac- 166 tivity to every part of the body, produces at the same time corresponding interest in the mind. I am, dear Sir, With sincere wishes for your success, Your very faithful servant, W. Babington, Soho Square, June 9 th , 1817* According to my judgement, the exercise of Fencing tends to promote bodily health, and the developement of ath¬ letic powers. It is likewise apparent, that the attitudes and exertions of Fencing are conducive to the manly forms and muscular « energies of the human figure, Anthony Carlisle, Prof. Anat. R. A, Sir, In reply to your enquiry respecting the utility of Fencing, in preserving the health of the body, I have no hesitation in stating, that I consider it to be a very use¬ ful exercise, and highly likely to contribute to preserve health, and to encrease agility and muscular power. I am, Sir, Your faithful servant, Charles M. Clark. The opinion of Mr Cline, in favour of Fencing, as it relates to health, is as fol¬ lows : Muscular exertion is essential in perfecting the form of the body, and those exercises which require the action of the greatest num¬ ber of muscles, are the most conducive to this end. Fencing causes more muscles to act, at the same time, than most other exercises : it pro¬ motes the expansion of the chest, and im- 168 proves respiration, whereby the functions of the most important organs of the body are more perfectly performed. Of all the different modes in which the body can be exercised, there is none, in my judgment, that is capable of giving strength and velocity, as well as precision to the action of all the voluntary muscles of the body, in an equal degree, as the practice of Fencing, and none more conducive to bodily health. Everard Home. June 1 th , 1817. Dear Sir, You desire me to state, in a short letter, the beneficial effects from the practice of Fencing. I do not conceive that, in the minds of physicians, there can be two opinions on the subject. Fencing most ob¬ viously is calculated to excite at once the ac¬ tion of the muscles, the action of the vascular V / 169 system, and of the organs of respiration, and to produce a variety of other effects depend¬ ing on these primary actions, which would re¬ quire a volume to particularly explain. By practising Fencing from the earlier periods of youth to the adult and middle state, the vas¬ cular power of the human constitution must become invigorated, and, of course, render persons in various ways more able to perform many offices in the practice of arts, and amuse¬ ments of common life. The constitution be¬ ing thus rendered more powerful, is less liable to the attacks of diseases, which assail the weaker and more irritable frames. Besides, not unfrequently, even disordered states oc¬ cur, which may be benefited by Fencing. I say nothing of the advantages arising from the graceful attitudes of the person, or, at least, the removal of awkward positions, which par¬ ticular men are apt to acquire. I may add, that very early in life I practi¬ sed Fencing, and probably I owe in part at least, the uncommonly good health I enjoy at an advanced period. Perhaps what I have stated may be quite superfluous, except that my letter will serve 170 to give you a fresh assurance of my willing¬ ness to manifest at all times my regard for you and your family. I remain, dear Sir, Your’s, most faithfully, George Pearson, George Street, Hanover") Square, June 11, 1817. 5 Sir, I am of opinion, that the attitudes and exercise of Fencing would im¬ prove the form, and very much increase the muscular power of the human body ; and by so doing, would materially add to the vigour and energies of the constitution. London, June 14, 181 ,1 C. R. Pemberton, M. D. Dr Stone presents his compli¬ ments to Mr Angelo, and is very ready to add his testimony in favour of Fencing, as 171 most beneficial to the functions of all the Vis¬ cera, with the exception, however, that after any recent attack of pulmonic Haemorrhagy, such exercise may be too violent for the lungs, which, for some time, must require rest and quiet. Charterhouse, Jum 5 , 1817. j My dear Sir, You ask my opinion as an Anatomist on the effect that Fencing and the Broad Sword Exercise may have on the health and strength of the body ; I shall answer to these points only, and leave to others to point out the advantages of these exercises as to grace and self-defence. The Antients were well aware, that attention to the athletic exer¬ cises confirmed and increased health and strength ; your sons and yourself afford living and well marked instances of their opinion on this subject being well founded. Muscular exertion, if used with judgment, will not only keep the body in health, but will often correct 172 deformities, and even restore deformed parts to their original and natural state. I have for some years past been in the almost daily habit of witnessing the progress of the restoration of incurvated spines in both sexes to the original shape, without the use of instruments, and merely by the muscles connected with the spine being regularly and equally exercised in their natural functions. The practice of the art of Fencing, as I have seen it used under yourself and sons, in my opinion, is admirably calculated to give a re¬ gular and equal exercise to the whole muscular system; it is therefore likely in many instances to restore health, will always tend to confirm and preserve it, and must, if used in modera¬ tion, add much to the grace, agility and strength of the body. I am, my dear Sir, Very faithfully, your obedt. servt. James Wilson, George Street,") June 3, 1817. j 173 “ I do not pretend to say that suppleness is not given to the limbs from the art of dancing, but I must say, more grace, elegance and ease are diffused all over the body from the use of the foil.” “ The elegance of the fencing salute, the frequent practice of thrusting Carte and Tierce, and exercise, in the assault, would improve the gesture and action of senior pupils in elo¬ cution, and contribute greatly to the accom¬ plishment of the 7th rule for suiting the word to the action.” “ If it be acknowledged, that fencing cha¬ racterizes the look and gesture with appear¬ ance of intellectual vigour, and that it facili¬ tates the graceful and ornamental motions of the arms and wrists, students should most certainly avail themselves of practising the art.” Wright on Elocution , page 71* i( Fencing is a good exercise for health.” « Fencing is considered to be so necessary a qualification in the breeding of a gentleman, 174 and has so many advantages in regard to health and personal appearance, that every gentleman of rank and property, ought to have so striking a mark of distinction.” Locke’s Treatise on Education . “ I am very glad you have taken a fencing- master ; that exercise will give you some man¬ ly, firm and graceful attitudes, open your chest, place your head upright, and plant you well on your legs .”—Lord Chatham* s Letters to his nephew , Thomas Pitt , Esq. (afterwards Lord Camelford) then at Cambridge . INDEX. Page Advancing and Retreating , - - -27 Amateurs , the cause of the scarcity of good - - 146 Appel , or stamping twice with the foot, - - 27 Assault the, or playing loose, -* - - 105 Attack , on the different modes of 28 -, on the most advantageous method of joining blades on coming on guard for the, - - 106 -, advantageous method of advancing into dis¬ tance in the, - - - 107 -, when the opponent is advancing uncovered into distance, a favourable opportunity of executing a straight Thrust, &c. in the - - 108 --, advantageous opportunity of making a Disen¬ gagement in the, - - - - 109 -, necessity of making Straight Thrusts and Dis¬ engagements in the - - - 109 -, practical application of the lessons in the 111 •-, advice to be observed when the adversary’s bodv is covered bv any unlencer-like manoeuvre in the, 154 176 INDEX# Page Binding the Blade, on the different methods of - 49 Blade , division of the - 22 Body, division of the - 32 Circle, occasionally used against an inside thrust, - 57 Combats, Horace’s description of men’s gradual mode of, - - - - 111 Command your Opponent , in which situation you are said to - - . 33 Counter Parades, exceptionable, - - - 102 Counters , a practice of importance to young Fencers, 101 -, how executed, . - - ib . Courage , personal, held in higher estimation than any other quality , - - 1 — - , erroneous opinion entertained that Fencing is subversive of natural, - - - - - 141 £ ' •» Daggers , private combats with - x Dedication, - ▼ Disarming, - - • - - 136 ——-, methods by which it can be accomplished foil-in-hand, - - - - - ib. ... .. -, various old useless methods, taught for the purpose of, - - 137 . ■■ -—, means of counteracting any attempt at 138 . —,advantages and disadvantages of attempting 139 - - —, Author’s opinion of - - 140 Disengagement, and Cut over the point, how and when used, - ... - - 43 — -— - , the difference between the Cut over the point, and the - - - - -45 IXIH’.X. Disengagement, made over the opponent’s wrist, — - -, vvliat Parade may bo deceived by the -, how parried, Duels and Duellists, - - Extension , - - - - -<-, when Thrusts are delivered only with an, Fifes in Fencing, mistaken notion of the use of the, Fencing-Masters in France, - - Fencing , in the East Indies, - -, definition of -, first positions in - - Foil, definition of a - Flanconnade, how executed, - -, how parried, - - Feint , definition of a Feints, enumeration of the principal - ■ •, One, Tivo, how made, - - -, how parried, - - - ... .. , different methods of executing . ■ —, what parade is deceived in making .-, made as a Riposte, - - -, Cut and. Disengage, how made, ■ ■ --, how parried, - Feint Seconde, how made, - - - —, what parade is deceived in, -, how parried, - - - Feints one, two, three, and Cut and one, two,—how made, - - --, how parried, -* - 177 Page 45 4d 47 XI 29 lb. 24 ix ib. 21 24 23 49 51 53 lb: 53 54 5 7 56 57 59 60 ib. 01 02 ib. 64 i 178 INDEX. , Page Feints, Doubling, how executed, . ( 54 , -, various methods of - - 65 -, parades deceived in - - - ib. • -, how parried - - 66 • -, Doubling and returning inside of the arm, how made, and how parried, - jb, ———, Doubling and returning over the arm, how made, and how parried, - - ib. Feint, One, Two, and deceive the Circle, how made, and how parried, - - 67 - One, Two, and deceive the Counter, how made and how parried, - - - 68 — .. ., can be commenced from the outside or inside engagement, - - 69 Feint Flanconnade, how made, and how parried, - 70 Feint One , Two and deceive Octave, how and in what situation this Feint can be made, - - 71 -, How this movement is parried, - 72 Feint Seconde and deceive Quart e, how made and how parried, - - - - 73 Feint Seconde and deceive Tierce, how made and how parried, - - - - - ib. -, One, Two, from the position of Circle, - -, Doubling on both sides of the blade, how exe¬ cuted, and how parried, - - - 75 Feints, practice at all - - - 103 Fencing, advantage of the feel of the blade in ~ 121 --, advantage of a correct eye in - - 122 Fencer, judgment the principal qualification in a - 122 Fencers, on left-handed. - - - 125 -, how their advantages are to be overcome, - 126 INDEX. 179 fagr. Fencers, oa Ferrailleurs, or irregular - - 127 ■ " ■■■ — , anecdote of irregular - - - i 28 —— , directions to those who are opposed to irregular 131 Fencing, volting, demi-volting, pirouetting, &c. disus¬ ed in correct, - - - - 140 Fencers, the English particularly adapted for - 149 Fencing, the part of the bod}' where thrusts are ac¬ counted good in - - - ib. Fencing as an exercise, concluding observations on the advantages of - - - 162 Fencing , high medical testimony in favour of - 165 % St . George, life of the Chev. - - 155 Guard, the manner of coming into the position of the - 25 Hits, Coups fourres, or mutual - - 150 ■ " the necessity of Masters suppressing this irre¬ gular style of Fencing, - - - 151 Judgment, the principal requisite in the Assault, - 122 I/nigc, - - - - 29 Longeing , observations to be attended to in - 30 Masters, Italian - - - xii Master, qualifications necessary for a good - 146 Maxims, 16 short - - - 152 Objections against Fencing refuted, - - xiv Opposition, what is meant by the term - - 39 l 180 INDEX. Page Parades, definition of the - - - 31 Parade made differently according to the return intended 37 ———, the Counter in Circle an objectionable - 48 Parades, Counter 37 Positions, first ^ - - - 24 Practice of the Foils , confined to peaceful and salutary exercise in England, - xv Preface, - i (fuarte and Tierce, called, by the French, Tirer an rnur , 88 -- — , method of thrusting - 90 -, salute for - - 92 -- --, observation to be remembered in taking the distance for - - ib, —-——-, caution in thrusting - 96 -, method of recovering to allow the adversary to commence his practice of - 91 , how this practice should be concluded, ib. Papier, the Ancient - - - xiv Recovering from the longe, 30 Remise , 86 Returning, proper opportunity for 48 Swords first made of wood, - - iv Sword, the form of the v -, origin of the Small - vi -, choice of a - - 28 -, constituent parts of a - - - 22 -, use of a - - - ib. -, definition of a - 21 INDEX. Sword Knot , use of a Salute, fencing Stiletto, the 181 Page 22 98 xiii Time Thrusts out of opposition, frequently dangerous, 84 Thrusts , straight - - 30 -, secret - - _ 140 -, time, why so called, - 77 --, time, in opposition, - - ib. • -, time, out of opposition, - - 84 -, general rules for their application, - 85 -, on various unfair methods of avoiding or giving, 151 -, why they are considered good on so small a portion of the body, - - - 150 -, with the hand turned in Tierce discontinued, 41 THE END. Michael Anderson, Printer. I f ' !| ; . ' ; ' • ' ■ ■ ■ ' ■ « ,