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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 t