_Rules for pushing and parrying at the Wall, and for making an Assault._
Though 'tis absolutely necessary to begin by way of Lesson, and to
continue in it a long Time, in order that Practice growing to a Habit,
may give Liberty to the Parts to form themselves: nevertheless however
well you may take your Lessons, some other Means are necessary to make
an Assault well, than those which the Master gives at his _Plastron_:
This Rule must be supported by pushing and parrying at the Wall, and in
the Manner I am going to lay down.
When you have laboured a certain Time at Lessons, you must push at a
Cushion which is fixed against the Wall for that Purpose, observing the
Guard, and the Measure or Extention of the Thrust; and that the Hand
display itself in _Quart_, not only according to the Rule, but first,
adjusting and supporting the Thrust, and that all the Parts be placed
in the most advantageous Situation for the Thrust and Recovery, which
shou'd be very regularly observed.
After having lunged for some Days on the Cushion, to fix the Wrist and
Body a little, you must push at a Scholar, who Being placed at the Wall
will parry your Thrusts; you shou'd be in Measure, and to see if it be
just, you must lunge in _Quart_, placing the Button softly on the Body,
at the same time taking off your Hat, having taken the Measure you must
recover in Guard, and place yourself on the Outside of his Sword in
order to disengage and push _Quart_, being more careful of pushing
justly than hitting; he that parrys shou'd from time to time drop his
Foil, which will shew whether he that pushes follows the Blade or the
Line of the Body; having remain'd some Time upon the Lunge to form the
Support of the Wrist and the Posture of the Body you recover to Guard.
When you lunge pretty well in _Quart_, you may disengage and push
_Tierce_, and when the Thrust is pushed and parryed, you may recover and
push _Seconde_ under.
When you have pushed for some Time in this Manner, you may practise to
parry, putting yourself for that Purpose to the Wall, which furnishes a
better Parade than at large, where you are used to draw back the Body
which weakens it, whereas here you cannot, which makes the Parade
stronger, having no Dependence but on the Foil; you shou'd chuse a
Scholar that pushes the most regularly, it being difficult without that,
that a Beginner shou'd learn to parry justly.
Most young Beginners endeavour to hit at any Rate, instead of practising
what would be beneficial to them, but instead of deceiving others they
deceive themselves, by practising less how to form themselves and push
according to Rule, than how to spoil their Bodies, and destroy the
Solidity of the Principles: Some use themselves to push with the Wrist
only, without the Foot, which is dangerous, by reason of the too great
Measure; others with as little Reason, and as much Danger, place
themselves without binding the Blade, and thrust under the Wrist; in the
one the Situation of the Guard is good for nothing, and in the other
there is no Defence if the Adversary thrusts at that time: Others
deceive by making a Time or Motion when they are placed, but the pushing
at the Wall requires only the Justness and Swiftness of the Thrust;
others put themselves very near baulking the Measure, which may be done
four Ways, tho' the Left-foot may be in it's proper Place, and kept firm
in the Thrust; the first is done by marking or bringing forward the
Point of the Left-foot, keeping it a little in, then advancing the Heel,
which gives more Measure; secondly, by keeping back the Body on a Lunge,
you deceive the Measure and hit by abandoning it forward, which gives it
a greater Extention, thirdly, by raising or carrying the Wrist too high,
or too much to one Side, which shortning the Thrust, makes it believed
that you are out of Reach, but according to the Rule and Line you are
too much in Reach; fourthly, some take Measure by holding the Thumb on
the Body of the Guard, and when they have a mind to hit they hold it on
the Middle of the Handle, with the Pommel in the Hand, which also gives
a greater Length.
When you have for some time used yourself to push and parry at the Wall,
according to the Rules that I have laid down, you must, (tho' 'tis not
the Rule of Schools, especially when you push with Strangers,) you must
I say, when you push with a Scholar of your own Master, push and parry a
Thrust alternately, disengaging, and then do the same Feinting, and
sometime after you shou'd make the other Thrusts, telling one another
your design, which makes you execute and parry them by Rule, especially
if you reflect on the Motions and Postures of the Lunges and Parades.
Being a little formed to this method, you may, being warned of the
Thrust, parry it, telling the Adversary where you intend your Riposte,
which puts him in a condition to avoid it, and gives him room to
redouble after his Parade, either strait or by a Feint, at which you are
not surprised, expecting by being forewarned the Thrust he is to make,
which puts you easily on your Defence and Offence: by this manner of
Exercise, you may not only improve faster, but with more art, the Eye
and Parts being insensibly disposed to follow the Rule, whereas without
this Method, the difference that there is between a lesson of assaulting
a Man who forewarns you, helps you, and lets you hit him, and another
who endeavours to defend himself and hit you, is, that except the
Practice of Lessons be very well taught by long exercise, you fall into
a Disorder which is often owing to the want of Art more than to any
Defect in Nature. The taking a Lesson well, and the Manner of Pushing
and Parrying which I have just described, may be attained to by Practice
only, but some other things are necessary to make an Assault well; for
besides the Turn of the Body, the Lightness, Suppleness and Vigour which
compose the exteriour Part, you must be stout and prudent, qualities so
essential, that without them you cannot act with a good Grace, nor to
the purpose. If you are apprehensive, besides, that you don't push home,
or justly, fear making you keep back your Thrust, or follow the Blade,
the least Motion of the Enemy disorders you, and puts you out of a
Condition to hit him, and to avoid his Thrusts. Without Prudence, you
cannot take the advantage of the situation, motions designs of the
enemy, which changing very often, according to his Capacity and to the
Measure, demonstrates that an ill concerted Enterprise exposes more to
Danger than it procures Advantage: in order to turn this Quality to an
advantage, you are to observe the Enemy's _fort_ and _feeble_, whether
he attack or defend; if he attack it will be either by plain Thrusts
strait, or disengaged, or by Feints or Engagements, which may be opposed
by Time, or Ripostes: if he keeps on his Defence, it is either to take
the Time or to Riposte. In case of the first; you shou'd, by half
Thrusts, oblige him to push in order to take a Counter to his Time, and
if he sticks to his Parade you must serve in what Manner, in order to
disorder him by Feints, and push where he gives Light.
It would fill a whole Volume to describe the Thrusts that may be made,
according to the Difference of Persons, as well to surprise as to avoid
being surprised; besides the many Repetitions wou'd be extremely
puzzling, for which Reason, I have, instead of them, laid down the
following Advices, which contain chiefly, what I cou'd not otherwise
have communicated without a long Treatise.
Don't put yourself in Guard within the Reach of the Enemy.
Make no wry Faces, or Motions that are disagreeable to the Sight.
Be not affected, negligent, nor stiff.
Don't flatter yourself in your Lessons, and still less in Assaults.
Be not angry at receiving a Thrust, but take care to avoid it.
Be not vain at the Thrusts you give, nor shew Contempt when you receive
them.
Do not endeavour to give many Thrusts, running the Risque of receiving
one.
Don't think yourself expert, but that you may become so.
When you present the Foils, give the Choice without pressing.
If you are much inferiour, make no long Assaults.
Do nothing that's useless, every Action shou'd tend to your Advantage.
Lessons and Assaults are only valuable when the Application and Genius
make them so.
Too good an Opinion spoils many People, and too bad a one still more.
A natural Disposition and Practice are necessary in Lessons, but in
Assaults there must be a Genius besides.
The Goodness of Lessons and of Assaults does not consist so much in the
Length as in the Manner of them.
When you have to do with one that's bold and forward, it is necessary
to seem apprehensive in order to get a favourable Opportunity.
If you act against one that's fearful, attack him briskly to put him in
Disorder.
Before you applaud a Thrust given, examine if Chance had no Hand in it.
Thrusts of Experience, and those of Chance are different, the first come
often, the others seldom or never happen, you may depend on one, but not
on the other.
In Battle let Valour and Prudence go together, the Lyon's Courage with
the Fox's Craft.
To be in Possession of what you know, you must be in Possession of
yourself.
Undertake nothing but what your Strength and the Capacity of the Enemy
will admit of in the Execution.
The Beauty of an Assault appears in the Execution of the Design.
Make no Thrust without considering the Advantage and the Danger of it.
If the Eye and Wrist precede the Body, the Execution will be good.
Be always cautious, Time lost cannot be regained.
If you can hit without a Feint, make none, two Motions are more
dangerous than one.
To know what you risque, you must know what you are worth.
If you would do well, acquire the agreeable and useful.
Twenty good Qualities will not make you perfect, and one bad one will
hinder your being so.
Judge of a Thrust, rather by Reason than by it's Success; the one may
fail, but the other cannot.
To parry well is much, but it is nothing when you can do more.
Let your Guard, and your Play be always directly opposite to the Enemy.
Practice is either a Good or an Evil; all consists in the Choice of it.
When you think yourself skilful and dexterous, 'tis then you are not so.
'Tis not enough that your Parts agree, they must also answer the Enemy's
Motions.
The knowing a Good without practising it, turns to an Evil.
Two skilful Men acting together, fight more with their Heads than with
their Hands.
If you are superiour to your Enemy, press him close, and if you are
inferiour, break Measure to keep him moving.
Endeavour both to discover the Enemy's Design, and to conceal your own.
When the Eye and the Hand agree in the same instant, you are perfectly
right.
Draw not your Sword, but to serve the King, preserve your Honour, or
defend your Life.