The Art of Fencing Part 11

Some again say to what Purpose shall we learn to Fence, the KING had forbid Duels: It is true that this great Prince, as august for his Piety as for his Victories, was willing thereby to preserve the Blood of his bravest Subjects, who expose'd it every Day to be shed through a false Notion of Honour.

But tho' he forbid Duels, he was so far from hindering the Practice of the Sword, that he has established several Academies for the perfect Use of it, not only for Defence, but also to qualify his Subjects to put the Justice of his Measures in Execution: And it must at last be agreed to, that a Man who wears a Sword, without knowing how to use it, runs as great a Hazard, and is full as ridiculous, as a Man who carries Books about him without knowing how to read.

Many Men are of Opinion that a Man may naturally know enough to attack or defend himself, without the a.s.sistance of Art: Man, tho' the only reasonable Creature, finds himself deprived of what irrational Creatures naturally possess; and he requires for his Improvement the a.s.sistance and Practice of others; the grand Art of War, and that of using the Sword, which has been practised thro' so many Ages, still find new Inventions; and it may be said, that as there is no Place, in whatever Situation by Nature, but requires Art to secure it's Defence; so likewise, whatever Disposition a Man possesses, he cannot be perfect without the a.s.sistance of Rules and Practice.

Some Men acknowledge that Skill is necessary in single Combat, but that in a Crowd or Battle it is altogether useless: I own that on these Occasions, it is less useful than in single Battle, by reason of the different Accidents, as of Cannon, Musquets, and of other Arms; besides, a Man may be attacked by several at once: But if a Man cannot avoid being hit with a Ball, and sometimes with a Sword, he may, nevertheless, by the Disposition and Agility of the Parts, more easily defend and return a Thrust: Besides, being more able to hit with the Edge or Point, he may put more Enemies to flight, or keep them at a greater Distance.

If the French Troops have always been victorious, Sword in Hand, a Part of the Glory is owing to the Skill of several Officers; and I'll venture to say, that if they had all been as expert as they should have been, you might see, as well on Foot as on Horseback, in Battle as on a Breach, Actions that would be not only uncommon but prodigious. It may perhaps be said, that our Enemies have some expert Officers among them; besides, that their Number is commonly less than in _France_, there is as great a Difference between their Dexterity and that of the _French_, as between their Masters and our's, from whom very few would have learned if the War had no suspended our Academies.[5]

I think it proper to finish this Chapter by confuting an Error as common, and more ridiculous, than the others; which is, of an infallible Thrust, which a great many People think that Masters reserve for dangerous Occasions, or to sell it at a dear Rate. This wonderful Thing, is called the secret Thrust. I don't know whether this Error proceeded from those who have not learned, or from the Chimera of some self-conceited Masters, who have sold to ignorant Scholars, some Thrusts as infallible, of their own Contrivance, as ridiculous and dangerous as the Simplicity of the Scholar and the Knavery of the Master are great.

To discover the Error of this Opinion you must observe two Things: First, that in Fencing there are no more than five Thrusts or Places, which I have described in Page 27, shewing the Parade of each of them; and secondly, that there is no Motion without it's Opposite; so that as you cannot push without a Motion, there is no Thrust without it's Counter, and even several; for besides the different Positions of the Body, there is not only the Time to take, but also several Parades to favour the Risposts, which plainly shews, that doing one of these Things properly, this imaginary infallible Thrust, far from succeeding will expose him that would make it.

All the Secrets in the Thrusts that are given by an able Man, far from being an Effect of the Thrust, is only an Effect of the Occasion, and the Swiftness; or rather of the judgment and Practice: By Means of these Qualities all Thrusts are secret ones, or they wou'd be worth nothing.

All the Thrusts in Fencing are equally good, when they are made according to Rule, with Swiftness, and on the Occasions proper to them; wherefore they ought not to be neglected whilst the Time of learning them offers; not but you may stick closer to some Thrusts than to others, either because you may be better disposed for them, or because you are more used to them.

I thought that after I had exposed the Errors of several Persons, I might tell them, that it is contrary to the Rules of good Breeding, to talk of Things they do not understand; that oftentimes People, by their first Appearance, have been thought to possess the Qualities of knowing Men, but have afterwards forfeited the good Opinion which they had at first imposed on others.

FINIS.

_Thrusts of Emulation for Prizes, Wagers &c._

All Thrusts from the Neckband to the Wastband are counted good.

_Coup Fourres_ or interchanged Thrusts are not counted on either side, except one of the Compet.i.tors has Recourse to it in order to make the Thrusts equal, then the Thrust of the other is good, and not his.

If one hits the Body and the other the Face or below the Wast at the same Time; the Thrust on the Body is counted, but not the other.

If a Man parrys with his Hand, and afterwards. .h.i.t, his Thrust is not good, because by parrying with the Hand, his Antagonist's Foil is less at Liberty than if he had parryed with the Blade, and might be a Reason why he could not parry and risposte.

If a Man takes the Time, opposing with the Left-hand, and hits without receiving, his Thrust is not good, because if he had not Opposed with the Hand, both would have hit, the Opposition of the Hand serving only to avoid, but no way contributing to the Success of the Thrust.

If in parrying, binding, or las.h.i.+ng the Foil, it Falls, and that the Thrust is made without Interval, it is Good.

Thrusts made with the Sword in both hands, or s.h.i.+fting from one Hand to the other are not good.

A Master is not to give judgment for his own Scholar.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: The Iron at the End of the Blade that runs into the Handle.]

[Footnote 2: I am not of Opinion that the Body should be drawn back, except it be impossible to avoid the Thrust without doing it; all Parades being best when the body is not disorder'd.]

[Footnote 3: See the 8th. Plate.]

[Footnote 4: See the 12th Plate.]

[Footnote 5: As in this Paragraph, Monsieur L'Abbat rather introduces an Encomium on his Country-men, than any thing essential to the Art of Fencing. I leave the Reader to his own Opinion thereon.]