Some matters to reflect upon- -Dont 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. -Dont 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. -Dont 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 thats useless, every Action shoud 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 thats bold and forward, it is necessary to seem apprehensive in order to get a favourable Opportunity. -If you act against one thats 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 Lyons Courage with the Foxs 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 -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 Enemys 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. LAbbat The Art of Fencing; The Use of the Small Sword, translation by A. Mahon, Dublin 1734
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 16:37:10 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015