ral purposes. Although I have been taught to use
the hanging guard myself ever since I began to play, I unhesitatingly
say that the upright guard is the better one, as enabling a player to
save time in the attack. In the hanging guard the knuckles (_i.e._ the
edge) are up and away from the enemy; the wrist must be turned before
the edge can be brought into contact with his body, and this takes time,
however little. In the upright guard the knuckles (_i.e._ the edge) are
towards your opponent, the arm is ready flexed, everything is in
readiness for the blow. If, then, as I believe, the advantages of the
two guards, as guards, are equal, the advantage of the upright guard as
a position to attack from seems to me undeniable.

In all guards remember that it is not sufficient to oppose some part of
your weapon to your adversary's. You must meet him, if possible, with
what the old masters called the "forte" of your blade, that is, the part
from the hilt to the middle of the sword, with which you have naturally
more power of resistance than with the lower half of the blade. Of
course all guards must be made with the edge of the sword outwards, and
make sure that you really _feel_ your enemy's blade (_i.e._ make a good
clean guard) before attempting to return his attack.

There is another matter to which many teachers pay too little attention,
but which is as important as any point in the fencer's art. It is
obvious that the player should try, if possible, to hit without being
hit. To do this effectively it is necessary in attacking to maintain
what fencers call a good "opposition," that is to say, to so carry your
stick in cutting or thrusting at him as to protect yourself in the line
in which you are attacking.

This is easier to explain in practice than on paper, but it may perhaps
be sufficiently explained by examples. If, for instance, you are cutting
at the left side of your opponent's head, you must, to stop a possible
counter from him, keep your hilt almost as high as the top of your own
head and carry your hand well across to your own left. If you do this
correctly, you will, in case he should cut at your left cheek as you cut
at his, stop his cut with the upper part of your stick.

Again, in thrusting at him, if you keep your hand as high as your
shoulder, and in a line with your right shoulder, you will protect the
upper half of your own body from a counter, so that, even if your thrust
fails and does not get home