[2] The French divide _l’Escrime_ into two parts: (1) _Escrime à l’épée_, or _Escrime pointe_; and (2) _Escrime au sabre_, or _Escrime contrepointe_. [3] The question is considered at great length in my forthcoming volume entitled ‘The Sword:’ here it is sufficient simply to state results. [4] When every regiment shall have its _salle d’armes_, the fencer will modify his own fencing thrusts to suit the clumsier weapon. I do not, however, see any reason why the three Points of the Infantry Sword Exercise should not be delivered in the _posizione media_ of the Italian school, with the thumb upwards and extended along the back of the sword-handle: nor why, as in the French _Manuel_, they should not be reduced to a single _Coup de Pointe_ (p. 239), which is thus described. “_Baisser la pointe du sabre à hauteur de la poitrine et déployer le bras en tournant la main, le pouce en dessous, le tranchant du sabre en dessus._” [5] As Mr. John Latham justly says (“The Shape of Sword-blades,” ‘Journal of the Royal United Service Institution,’ vol. vi.):--“The proper shape for a thrusting sword is pre-eminently straight.” The Clay-more, for instance, moving in a direct line, cuts a hole exactly the size of the blade; the Regulation sword, slightly curved, widens it to about double, and the bent scimitar and the Talwár, to five or six times, thus meeting with five or six times the resistance to its penetration. Mr. Latham is again quoted in another part of this System. [6] My only objections to this volume are the two following:-- (_a_) The author _will_ “throw the whole weight of the body on the left leg.” (Fig. 2, p. 69.) Yet in his Introductory Remarks (p. 5) he sensibly says, “To the haunches, as to the common centre of motion of the human figure, are ultimately referred all the movements performed in military tactics” (and swordsmanship); “as just poise is important to the correct exertion of action, whatever it may be, it is necessary that poise or balance be studied, understood, and tried in all positions. It is clear that bodily action cannot possess compass, power, and ease, unless the movement be made justly and correctly upon the haunches, as on a central pivot. If the movement have not compass, power, and ease; force and endurance will not be found in the Military act.” (_b_) In the Lunge our author not only keeps the body “perfectly erect,” he even inclines it backwards whilst he allows both feet to abandon the perpendicular in the most slovenly way: see Fig. 2, p. 70, and Figs. 1 and 2, p. 71. The same is the case with the official ‘Infantry Sword Exercise.’