311 
FENCING. 
tffow, however forcible, Hides down it without endanger¬ 
ing the hand. For thefe reafons, it f'eems well calculated 
to parry off any fudden attack in the dark., efpecially if it 
■ fliould be made again ft a perfon armed only with a ftick. 
Tlie hanging guard is alfo well adapted to prevent an an- 
tagonift from thralling at the body beneath the wrift, and 
to obviate thofe feints which might otherwife be made, 
by Hiifting his point from fide to Tide under your wrift on 
either the infide or outlide guard. Another material ad-- 
vantage is, that it requires a very trifling motion of the 
wrift to meet or ward off any cut whatever that may be 
made by an adverfary. The conftrained pofition of the 
hand, and weight of the weapon, however, will at firft 
be found tirefome on this guard, but pradlice will over¬ 
come that defedh, and enable a perfon to deliver a blow 
with rapidity and force from it, as may be obferved in the 
practice of the fpadroon players, many of whom place 
their chief dependence on the protection afforded by their 
guard in fccon.de, which only differs from this guard in the 
wrift not being held quite fo high. 
When parrying a thruft or cut directed low, it will be 
unfafe to hold the hand high enough to view your adver¬ 
fary under the hilt; becaufe fuch pofition would enable 
him to apply the fort of his blade againft your feeble, 
and thereby render your refiftance inadequate to the ra¬ 
pidity of his attack. To obviate this disadvantage, the 
infide and outfide half-hanging guards are always to be re¬ 
torted to ; which differ only in your hand not being raifed 
fo high, but held low enough to view your opponent 
over the hilt. The right foot is to be flipped back, and 
the point of your fword dropped fufficiently clofe to your 
own pofition, to prevent your antagonift from forcing in 
his cut or thruft, without encountering your fword with 
the fort of his own weapon. 
Half-Circle Guard. —This is adapted to parry the 
cuts 3 and 5, ufually made at the infide below the wrift; 
and is formed by fvvihly dropping your point to the right, 
as in the firft motion of cut 3, till it becomes oppofite to 
your adverfary’s body, carrying your hand to the left of 
your line of defence, and directing the edge of your 
weapon towards your antagonift’s fword, inftead of his 
body or arm. The general rule for the height of your 
hand is to hold it in a line with the left eye; but that 
muft depend in a great degree on the attack made by 
your adverfary ; otherwife if he finks his fort low enough 
to ftrike it acrois yostr feeble, he will probably beat your 
blade fufficiently out of the line to effeCt his cut. For 
this reafon if cut 3 or 5 be made at you by difengaging 
from the outfide guard, it will be beft to parry them with 
the infide hanging guard. But if his attack be parried 
by the half-circle guard, your opponent may endeavour 
to double his cut on the upper part or outfide of your 
arm: this you may prevent by railing your point to an 
infide guard, and thereby meeting his blade' as he endea¬ 
vours to cut or difengage over your wrift. If he difen- 
gages by throwing his point wide, and thereby efcapes 
your infide guard, parry by an outlide guard. 
This pofition, or at leaft one differing only in holding 
the hilt lower and the blade more horizontal, is by many 
fencers termed the fpadroon guard ; it is not however to 
be confidered as a chief^jofition of defence with that wea¬ 
pon, for it is weak, and very liable to be forced. It (hould 
therefore only be adopted for the purpofe of parrying a 
low cut or thruft at the infide, and not as- a guard on 
which to engage or wait for an antagonift, except by a 
player who may be fkilful enough to ufe it as a lurch, in 
order to induce his antagonift to throw at fome part which 
he intends to withdraw from his cut, that he may feize 
the opening afforded by fuch attack. When on this 
guard, you Ih.ould always remember, that if your anta¬ 
gonift fucceeds in making a forcible beat on your blade, 
efpecially on the back of it, he will in all probability 
difarm you. Therefore inftead of receiving his blow in 
that pofition, flip it by withdrawing your weapon at the 
inftant, and return cut 2, at the outfide of his fword-arm. 
Caution, however, will be reqnifite, that you do not with¬ 
draw your fword inftead of parrying a blow aimed at your- 
felf. The difference will depend on the diftance you are 
from your antagonift,' and on his advancing or remaining 
ftationary. Always quit this pofition as foon as poffible 
for the infide or outlide guard; in doin'*; which fpring 
back, that your antagonift may not throw in a cut by 
timing your change of pofition. 
St. George’s Guard. —This is intended to ward a 
blow aimed at the top of the head, when your adverfary 
difengages from the outfide guard for that purpofe. It 
differs from the hanging guard only in railing the hand 
lomewhat higher, drawing back the right arm, and bring¬ 
ing tlie point nearer to yourfelf. In this pofition the fort 
of the blade, which is to receive the blow, will be at leaft 
three or four inches above your head. Tlie ward.iron of 
the hilt muft be turned well up to protect the knuckles. 
It will be proper to flip the right foot back to the left heel 
at the fame inftant. 
Some fencers, inftead of keeping the fword advanced 
before them, raife the hand till the blade erodes above 
the head in an horizontal direction from right to left. 
But this pofition is now feldom ufed, and can hardly ever, 
be necedaffy, except to protect tlie head from a blow made 
by an enemy behind, (for which purpofe it is adopted by- 
the cavalry;) or to withdraw your weapon from one in 
front who endeavours to feize it, and is unarmed himfelf. 
Againft a ftroke made by an adverfary in front, however 
near, the firft delcribed pofition will be found preferable, 
railing your fword-hand and point, according as circum-' 
ftances might require. 
It muft be obferved that the St. George’s guard is not- 
intended to lie under, but only to flop a blow-at the head, 
when your antagonift advances fo clofely upon you, that- 
the hanging guard is not fufficiently fecure. The beft way 
in general of changing from the St. George, (unlefs when 
you immediately return a cut or thruft from it,) is to adopt 
the hanging'guard, taking care to direft your point to¬ 
wards the ribs of your antagonift, and to keep your body 
well in a line. From this pofition, there is lefts danger in 
taking another, than if you change direClly from the St. 
George to the infide or outfide guard.—After acquiring 
expertnefs and freedom in the exercife of all the guards, 
the artifice of bearing, battering , making/wzfs apd dijarms > 
is next to be'attended to'. 
Bearing. —This is ufually prafftifed by lunging for¬ 
ward brifkly on the outfide guard, oppofing the fort of 
your blade to that of your antagonift, and jrom thence 
flipping your fort towards his feeble, by which means you- 
may prefs his fword out of tlie line ; this (unlefs he af- 
furnes the hanging guard) leaves his head, neck, and 
breaft, expofed to your edge, and from this pofition a 
cut over and within his guard may be made, but muft be 
executed with celerity. But in attempting this, be care¬ 
ful not to flip your fword too far down, left your antago¬ 
nift difengage and cut withinftde. Bearing on an infide 
guard is fometimes-praftifed ; but it is not fafe, becaufe 
the opponent may ealily drop his point, and, fpringing 
back, make cut 3, at your arm. Upon the hanging guard 
bearing cannot be ufed to advantage, fince in bearing on 
an antagonift’s blade to obtain an opening at the outfide- 
of his pofition, you expofe your own head and infide, and 
while flipping from your bearing, he will have an oppor¬ 
tunity of throwing in a cut. 
Battering. —This is nothing more than ftriking on 
your antagonift’s fword to obtain an opening, and requires 
the fame degree of caution as bearing, left your antagonift 
flip his blade from your ftroke, and make a cut on the 
contrary fide. It can feldom be attended with fuccefs 
againft any bilt the outfide and fpadroon guards, when 
ufed to force an opening on the fide at which you batter; 
but fometimes by inducing an adverfary to refill: that at¬ 
tack, you may difengage and cut on the contrary fide. 
Feints. —A feint is an offer at a cut or thruft, without 
meaning to ftrike home. There are two foftSj fngkfein{s 3 
and 
