I thought it very suitable to my Business, when I met with so good an
Author as Monsieur _L'Abbat_, on the Art of Fencing, to publish his
Rules, which in general, will I believe be very useful, not only as they
may contribute to the Satisfaction of such Gentlemen as are already
Proficients in the Art, and to the better Discipline of those who intend
to become so, but also in regard that the Nicety and Exactness of his
Rules, for the most Part, and their great Consistency with Reason, may,
and will in all Probability, lay a regular and good Foundation for
future Masters, who tho' accustom'd to any particular Method formerly
practised, may rather chuse to proceed upon the Authority of an
excellent Master, than upon a vain and mistaken Confidence of their own
Perfection, or upon an obstinate Refusal to submit to Rules founded on,
and demonstrated by Reason.
For my Part, though I had my Instructions from the late Mr. _Hillary
Tully_ of _London_, who was (and I think with great Reason) esteemed a
most eminent Master in his Time, I thought I could not make too nice a
Scrutiny into my Profession, by comparing Notes with Monsieur _L'Abbat_,
which improved me in some Points, and confirmed me and others, to my no
small Satisfaction, being well persuaded, that, as a Professor of this
Science, it would have been an unpardonable Fault in me to deprive our
Nations of such an Improvement, either through Prejudice to his, or
Partiality to my own Opinion.
Though I have already said that Mr. _L'Abbat's_ Rules are nice,
reasonable, and demonstrative, yet I would not have it inferred from
thence, that he approves of them all, as really essential to the Art of
Fencing; there being some which he does not approve of, and which he
would not have mentioned, had they not interfered with his profession,
by the Practice and Recommendation of some Masters, who being more
capricious than knowing, were fonder of the shewy or superficial, than
of the solid Part of the Science.
Volting, Passing, and Lowering the Body, are three things which Mr.
_L'Abbat_ disapproves of, in which Opinion I join; because the Sword
being the Instrument of Defence, there can be no Safety when the proper
Opposition of the Blade is wanting, as it is in volting and lowering the
Body, and in passing, by reason of the Weakness of the Situation, which
cannot produce a vigorous Action.
Notwithstanding which, there is a modern Master, who as soon as he had
seen this Book, and the Attitudes representing volting, passing and
lowering the Body, began and still continues teaching them to his
Scholars, without considering how unsafe and dangerous they are, for
want of the proper Opposition of the Sword when within Measure.
Of all Professions, that of Arms has in all Ages, since their Invention,
been esteemed the noblest and most necessary; it being by them that the
Laws preserve their Force, that our Dominions are defended from the
Encroachments of our Enemies, and ill designing People kept in the
Subjection due to their Sovereigns; and of all Arms, the Sword is
probably the most ancient: It is honourable and useful, and upon
Occasion, causes a greater Acquisition of Glory than any other: It is
likewise worn by Kings and Princes, as an Ornament to Majesty and
Grandeur, and a Mark of their Courage, and distinguishes the Nobility
from the lower Rank of Men.
It is the most useful, having the Advantage of Fire Arms, in that it is
as well defensive as offensive, whereas they carry no Defence with them;
and it is far preferable to Pikes and other long Weapons, not only
because it is more weildy and easy of Carriage, but also by reason of
the Perfection to which Art has brought the Use of the Small Sword;
there being no Exercise that conduces so much as Fencing, to strengthen
and supple the Parts, and to give the Body an easy and graceful
Appearance.
The Sword, since it's first Invention, has been used in different
Manners: First, with a Shield or Buckler; Secondly, with a Helmet, and
Thirdly, with a Dagger, which is still used in _Spain_ and _Italy_. Mr.
_Patinotris_, who taught at _Rome_, introduced, and laid down Rules for
the Use of the Small Sword alone, which has since been much improved by
the _French_ and our Nations.
As the Art of Fencing consists in attacking and defending with the
Sword, it is necessary that every Motion and Situation tend to these two
principal Points, _viz._ In offending to be defended, and in defending
to be in an immediate Condition to offend.
There is no Guard but has it's Thrust, and no Thrust without it's
Parade, no Parade without it's Feint, no Feint without it's opposite
Time or Motion, no opposite Time or Motion but has it's Counter, and
there is even a Counter to that Counter.
Some injudicious Persons have objected to Mr. _L'abbat's_ Manner of
Fencing, that it is too beautiful and nice, without observing that if it
be beautiful, it cannot be dangerous, Beauty consisting in Rule, and
Rule in the Safety of attacking and defending.
In Fencing, there are five Figures of the Wrist, _viz._ _Prime_,
_Seconde_, _Tierce_, _Quart_, and _Quinte_. The first is of very little
Use, and the last of none at all.
Prime is the Figure that the Wrist is in, in drawing the Sword.
_Seconde_ and _Tierce_ require one and the same Figure of the Wrist,
with this Difference only, that in _Seconde_, the Wrist must be raised
higher, in order to oppose the Adversary's Sword; but in both these
Thrusts the Thumb Nail must be turned directly down, and the Edges of
the Blade of the Foil of an equal Height.
Quart is the handsomest Figure in Fencing, the Thumb Nail and the Flat
of the Foil being directly up, and the Wrist supported so as to cover
the Body below as well as above. In _Quinte_, the Wrist is more turned
and raised that in _Quart_, which uncovers the Body, and weakens the
Point, and therefore is not used by the skilful.
Some Masters divide the Blade into three Parts, _viz._ the Fort, the
Feeble, and the Middle. Others divide it into Four, _viz._ the Fort, the
Half Fort, the Feeble, and the Half Feeble; but to avoid Perplexity, I
divide it only into Fort and Feeble; tho' it may be divided into as many
Parts as there are Degrees of Fort and Feeble to be found on the Blade.
The Attitudes which are in the Book, are copied exactly from the
Originals; tho' I might perhaps have made some Alterations, in my
Opinion, for the better, yet I chose rather to leave them as they are,
than to run the Hazard of spoiling any of them: I have therefore left
the same Bend in the Foils as Mr. _L'Abbat_ recommends, _and for which
he makes an Apology in his Preface_.
Nor have I, in any of the Attitudes, represented a Left-handed Figure,
because by looking thro' the Paper on the blank Side, they will appear
reversed, and consequently Left-handed.
Monsieur _L'Abbat_ recommends the turning on the Edge of the Left-foot
in a Lunge, as may be seen by the Attitudes. This Method indeed was
formerly practised by all Masters, and would be very good, if their
Scholars had not naturally run into an Error, by turning the Foot so
much as to bring the Ancle to the Ground, whereby the Foot became so
weak as to make the Recovery difficult, for want of a sufficient Support
from the Left-foot, which, in recovering, bears the whole Weight of the
Body: Therefore I would not advise the turning on the Edge of the Foot
to any but such as, by long Practice on the Flat, are able to judge of
the Strength of their Situation, and consequently, will not turn the
Foot more than is consistent therewith.
It may sometimes be necessary to turn on the Edge, on such Ground
whereon the Flat would slip, and the Edge would not, if it were properly
turned; but even in this Case, by turning it too much it would have no
Hold of the Terrace, and therefore would be as dangerous as keeping it
on the Flat.
The chief Reason for turning on the Edge, is that the Length of the
Lunge is greater by about three Inches, which a Man who is a Judge of
Measure need never have recourse to, because he will not push but when
he knows he is within Reach.
Some of the Subscribing Gentlemen will, perhaps, be surprized, when they
find this Book published in my Name, after having taken Receipts, for
the first Moiety of their Subscription Money, in the Name of Mr.
_Campbell_, to whom I am obliged for his Assistance in the Translation,
he being a better Master of the _French_ Tongue than I am. Indeed to the
chief Reasons why they were not signed in my Name, are, First, because I
was, at the Time of their being signed, a Stranger in this city, being
then lately come from _England_. And secondly, lest I should meet with
such Opposition as might perhaps have frustrated my Design of publishing
this book, I thought proper to conceal my being concerned in it, 'till
Mr. _Campbell_ had shown the Translation to all the principal Masters in
Town, and gained their Approbation much in Favour of it.