_Of Left-handed Men._
Most People imagine that a Left-handed Man has, by Nature, the Advantage
of a Right-handed Man in Fencing, whereas he has it only by Habit,
exercising oftener with Right-handed Men than a Right-handed Man with
him, as well in Lessons as in Assaults, most Masters being Right-handed,
as well as most of the Scholars, taking Lessons from the Right-hand, and
practising seldom with Left-handed Men, find themselves puzzled, nothing
surprizing more than what one is not used to, which is so true, that to
embarrass a Left-handed Man, who has not fenced much, you must put
another against him; I say one that has not fenced much, because Right
or Left-handed Men who go to the School of a perfect Master, will be
taught to use both Hands, by which Means, they will not be so much
surprized when they meet with a Left-handed Man, as they would otherwise
be.
When a Right and a Left-handed Man fence together, the Right handed Man
should push but seldom within, that being the Antagonist's strongest
Part; and his weakest and outward, which should be kept covered, or in a
defensive Condition, as the most liable to be attacked; the best Way is
to push _Quarte_ without, Engagements, Feints under, and Thrusts above,
and double Feints, finished above or under the Wrist in _Quarte_, Cuts
over the Point without, and upon the Parade, with the Fort, or with the
Feeble, redoubling _Quarte_ under the Wrist, or _Seconde_ over: These
are chiefly the Thrusts which a Right-handed and a Left-handed Man may
make against each other, whether on an Attack, or in Defence, by Time or
Risposts.
Several Masters puzzle their Scholars by telling them that with a
Left-handed Man they must act quite contrary to what they do with a
Right-handed, which appears to be false; because to a Right or
Left-handed Man you must push, opposing with the Sword, which is to be
done by pushing _Quarte_, when the Enemy is within your Sword, and
_Tierce_, when he is without. All the Difference between a Right and a
Left-handed Man is, that two Right, or two Left-handed Men, are both
within or without, whereas a Right with a Left-handed Man, the one is
within when the other is without, the one in _Quarte_, the other in
_Tierce_.