FENCING, the art of attack and defense, with any weapon having either a point or an edge. In the general acceptance of the word, it means the use of the sword or foil, particu larly the latter. All swords may be divided into two general classes, small swords and broadswords ; the former being one with which the attack is delivered with the point only, the latter one that has a cutting edge.
The foil used in fencing represents the small sword. The earliest swords of which there are any authentic records were those of the Assyrians and Greeks. They were straight or leaf-shaped, and made of bronze. The swords of the Romans were of steel, short, straight and double-edged.
Light armor was worn by both the Greeks and the Romans, and a shield was carried for defense. During the Middle Ages when com plete armor was worn, the sword was a long, heavy weapon used for striking blows, reliance being placed entirely upon the armor for de fensive purposes.
When, after the invention of gunpowder, armor began to be discarded, it became evident that some other means of defense must be discovered, and it was in meeting this need that the art of fencing came into existence. The Italians were the first to recognize the fact that the point was more deadly than the edge, and that a thrust could be delivered more quickly than a blow, and to them belongs the credit of laying the foundation of the present school of fence. They invented the rapier, a long, straight sword having a cup-shaped guard with quillons, which was the parent of the small sword and foil. The early rapier was a weapon of offense only, parries being made with a dag ger held in the left hand, or the point avoided by a leap aside. Camillo Agrippa of Milan was the first man to divide the body into four parts and to assign a definite guard to each. Agrippa published a book in 1553 explaining his system, which is said to have been illustrated by Michelangelo.
When daggers ceased to be worn, the cloak wrapped around the left arm was used in parrying. Later as the art of fence became better known, even the cloak was discarded, and the sword became a weapon of defense as well as offense.
While the Italians were building up their school on practical lines, the Spaniards invented a most complicated system of fence based on mathematical and geometrical principles. It was, however, of little use in actual fighting save that it taught coolness. The French and English were both followers of the. Italian school, rapier play being introduced into Eng land during the early part of Queen Elizabeth's reign. During the 18th century, the rapier, which had been constantly growing lighter, was replaced in France by the small sword, a weapon almost as light as our modern' foil. The Italians, however, still clung to their ancient weapon and hence arose the two rival schools of fence, the French and the Italian. Fencing masks also came into use at this time.
Broadsword play in some form or other was in existence during the periods of both the rapier and small sword and did not differ in its essential features from the system in use to-day. The Scots have always been especially
noted for their dexterous use of the claymore, a species of heavy broadsword.
. The French foil used in fencing consists of a quadrangular-shaped blade about 33 inches long, mounted in a slightly curved handle, and having either a bell-shaped or ring guard. The blade is divided into two imaginary parts, the part nearest the point being termed the afeeble,° that nearest the guard the ((forte.° Parries are made by opposing the forte of one blade to the feeble of another. The foil is held in the right hand with fingers underneath, the thumb extended along the upper part of the handle and nearly touching the guard. The thumb and forefinger direct the blade, the grasp of the other fingers being tightened or relaxed as oc casion requires. In coming eon guard° the fen cer raises his hand to the height of his breast, curves his arm so that his elbow will be about six inches from his body, and places the point of his foil on a level with his adversary's eye. At the same time he places his feet at right angles, about 12 inches apart, with the right foot in front, bends his keeping the weight of the body slightly more on the left leg than on the right, and curves the left arm so that the hand will be behind the head. For fencing purposes, the body is divided into inside and outside, and high and low lines; an inside line being one to the left of the blade, an outside line one to the right of it; a high line one above the hand and a low line one below it. The high inside lines are termed Prime and Quarte, the low ones Septime and Quinte. The high outside lines are Tierce and Sate, the low ones Octave and Seconde. All attacks, no matter how complicated, must eventually be delivered in one of these lines. For each attack there is a simple and a counter parry. Simple parries are made by turning aside the opposing blade in the line in which the attack is delivered; counter parries are made by circling round the blade and carryire: it off in the line from which the attack began. To deliver an attack, the right hand is raised quickly to the height of the face, the right arm straight, and the point directed against the place to be attacked. At the same time, the left leg is straightened, the right foot advanced and the left hand dropped to a position about four inches above the left knee. This move'. ment is termed the °Lunge? Whenever fencers are in the position of guard opposing each other, they are said to be :engaged." Carrying the blade into another line is called °disengaging.° An opening for an attack is made by feinting in one line and at tacking in another by forcing the blade aside, or by a combination of these movements. Af ter a parry, a fencer delivers a return thrust termed a °Riposte," with which he endeavors to hit his opponent before he can recover his guard.