It is necessary to appear animated with a brave Boldness, for nothing requires a Man to exert himself more than Sword in Hand; and it is as difficult to attain such an Air of Intrepidity without much Excercise, as it is to become perfectly expert.
CHAP. III.
Of Pushing Quart.
To push Quart within, besides the Precautions of placing yourself to Advantage, and of pushing properly and swiftly, which is to be acquired by Practice and nice Speculation, It is necessary that the Parts, in order to assist each other in making the Thrust, should be so disposed and situated, as that the Wrist should draw with it the Bend of the Arm, the Shoulder, and the upper Part of the Fore-Part of the Body, at the same time that the Left Hand and Arm should display or stretch themselves out smartly, bending
one of the Knees and extending the other, which gives more Vigour and Swiftness to the Thrust; and the Body finding itself drawn forward by the swift Motion of the Wrist and other Parts, obliges the Right Foot to go forward in order to support it, and to give the Thrust a greater Length; the Left Foot should, at the same Instant, turn on the Edge, without stirring from its Place; whilst the Right Foot coming smartly to the Ground, finishes the Figure, Extension and Action of the Lunge. This is the Order and Disposition of the Parts in making the Thrust, which see in the second Plate. At the Instant when the Wrist moves forward, it must do three things, turn, support and oppose.
To turn the Wrist in Quart, the Thumb Nail must be up, and the inside Edge equal in Height with the other, for if it were not so high, the Thrust would not be so swift, for want of Motion enough, neither would the Body be so well covered, because the Edge, instead of being directly opposite to the Adversary's Sword, would fall off with a Slant; and if it were higher, it would make a Quint Figure, which, by the excessive Turn of the Wrist, would weaken the Thrust, and by the unequal Turn of the Edges would uncover the Body.
The Wrist ought to be of a Height sufficient to cover the Body without contracting the Arm, which cannot be fixed to a particular Height; for a short Man against a tall one, should raise it as high as the Head, which People of equal; Stature, or a tall Man against a short one, ought not to do.
When the Opposition is accompanied with such a Turn and Support of the Wrist as will cover the Body, it is good, but if the Wrist be carried too far in, you not only lose Part of the Length of the Thrust, but also uncover the Outside of the Body, which are two very great Faults.