In practice the advanced swordsman will confine himself to Tierce and Carte with their natural modifications. He will consult his own feelings about the head-guard, abolishing Prime in favour of High Tierce or High Carte, and he will prefer Low Tierce or withdrawing the leg (_rassemblement_) to using Seconde. Of these movements the simplest are always the best. When parrying, the sword-arm must invariably be drawn for defence nearer the body, and the grip should be sensibly tightened to receive the cut. No strength is necessary when making the parries: I cannot accept the “Sforzi” or guard-forcings of the neo-Italian broadsword school, dry blows upon the blade, which, intended to disarm, are essentially dangerous. The Guards or Parries will be practised like the Cuts, first in the “Second Position” (Guard), and afterwards in the “Third Position” (Lunge). SECTION III. THE MANCHETTE OR FORE-ARM PLAY. § 1. _Preliminary._ The recruit is now sufficiently advanced to begin the system of Manchette, which, as it is the most valuable part of sword-drill, has been practised the least, and should be practised the most. A swordsman thoroughly trained in this section does not allow the opponent to deliver a cut. It is certain that hand and wrist, short-arm and elbow, are capable of as many different attacks and defences as the whole body: these are the parts most prominent, most exposed, and consequently most readily made the _point de mire_. Yet this true and simple secret of the broadsword has been universally neglected, or rather not worked out: in England we content ourselves with the parades technically called _retrogrades_, that is, withdrawing the limb from the assault, by shortening the arm and, sometimes, by retiring the right foot either near to, or up to, or behind the left heel: even this evasion which cannot expect to pass for a Guard, is not described nor figured in the official ‘Infantry Sword Exercise.’[15] In France, and even in Italy where most subjects are exhaustively treated, Manchette is dismissed with a few careless words. The _Manuel_ gives to the _Coup de Manchette_ only these few lines: “_Exécuter un enlevé_ (vertical Moulinet from above downwards) _en arrière à droite, et arrêter le sabre vis-à-vis le milieu du Corps, le tranchant en dessus, le poule légèrement à droite; diriger l’enlevé de manière à empêcher en arrêtant l’avant bras, l’exécution d’un coup de tête_.” Capitano Settimo del Frate (p. 50, _Istruzione sul Maneggio e Scherma della Sciabola_) in one of the latest works on swordsmanship contents himself with the following desultory observations: “Manchett” (_sic_) “can attack the fore-arm either above or below, according as the opponent gives an opening. “Manchett is generally used against an adversary whose guard is defective. By merely extending the arm with a turn of the wrist, this attack may readily succeed should the opponent neglect to provide against it.