"Undoubtedly the fencer's touch is a great resource; I am even willing
to allow that it is invaluable, and it is a thing that can only be
obtained by practice and perseverance; it gives lightness and dexterity
to the hand, and enables the foil to be manipulated with accuracy and
speed.
"It is the refined result that is derived from extreme ease in
regulating the extension of the arm, from exquisite subtlety in the
use of the fingers, and from precision of play, which involves its
victim almost unawares, dismays, and utterly confounds him. I profess
the greatest admiration for this consummate power of fence, so seldom
seen to perfection. No one can think more highly of it than I do, and
on that account I am strongly convinced of the necessity of devising a
means to resist it, when it is used against me. I shall perhaps be told
to combat it by an equally fine sense of touch;--but it is still more
rare to see a bout of fencing in which the two men are evenly matched
in this respect, and general principles should be based on general
grounds, not on exceptional cases.
"The man who possesses this consummate sleight of touch may almost be
said to control his opponent's blade by the exercise of his will. By
a sort of hypnotic influence or fascination he does with it what he
pleases. If you refuse the engagement, you create a difficulty for
him; if you do not allow him to bring his blade into contact with
yours, you put an impediment in his way, which his skill will doubtless
overcome, but with less certainty; his course is not so clear, and he
is no longer completely master of the situation. For if you join blades
you are always within striking distance of his point, that is to say
he can attack you at any moment without shifting his ground. Now such
attacks are exceedingly difficult to stop, even for the most practised
hand, especially simple attacks such as straight thrusts or simple
disengagements.
"The mind perpetually held in suspense is harassed and distressed, you
have no leisure to think for yourself and are demoralised by the slow
torture of a constant strain. For, I repeat, it is very rare to find
two fencers so evenly matched in this respect that the risk is equally
divided.
"In that case I should say:--'Do what you please.' In the other
case:--'By refusing the engagement you can at first keep your opponent
out of distance, which will compel him to advance in order to attack
you, and so give you fair warning of his intention. You are no longer
exposed to the paralysing influence of a constantly threatened attack,
which destroys your liberty of action and judgment; you disconcert your
adversary by leaving him in the dark as to the line in which he will
encounter your blade; and you can choose your own time, when you are
ready to attack or parry, to engage his blade with decision.'
"For my own part, I am quite satisfied that the system is a safe and
sound defensive measure, which offers advantages that cannot be denied.
Pressures, binds, beats and _croisés_, all those dangerous movements by
which your opponent can bring the _fort_ of his blade to bear on the
_faible_ of yours, are rendered very difficult to perform, and are much
less likely to succeed. Surprise attacks are entirely or at least so
nearly eliminated, that their occurrence is a rare event.