To Attack.
Stretch the sword-arm to its full length as quickly as possible on a level with the shoulder, without stiffness or jerking or any preliminary movement, and direct the edge or point of your sword to the part you wish to hit. Raise the toes of the right foot, and step straight to the front, until the feet are about four times the length of your foot apart; let the heel touch the ground first.
As you raise the foot to longe[[1]] press in the left haunch and straighten the left leg, keeping the left foot firmly fixed on the ground. In longeing, let the right heel almost touch the ground.
[1]. Pressing in the left haunch when longeing adds considerable quickness to the attack, it also causes the body to be upright on the completion of the longe, and therefore enables a man to recover to the guard with less effort and greater quickness.
On the completion of the longe the body and head should be erect, the shoulders have their natural fall, and the right knee be perpendicular to the instep, left leg straight, and foot flat and firm on the ground, and the weight of the body equally divided between the haunches. The whole of these movements should be performed together with the greatest rapidity.
Be careful not to give any sign of preparation, but make the attack with great boldness and suddenness.
Do not raise the hand, or draw it or the point of the sword back when about to deliver an attack; by so doing you expose your arm to a time cut and the body to a time thrust.
In attacking, never let the foot touch the ground before the sword reaches its destination.
In all attacks and returns the point of the sword should travel over no more space than is necessary for it to arrive at its intended destination.
To Recover.