THE ensuing lessons on "Old Sword-Play" have been compiled from the works of various author of the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries; and it has been my intention so to arrange them as to make the antique methods accessible to the student without the labour of searching the pages of books in various languages, many of which are very difficult to procure, and much more so to understand. There are those who affect to ridicule the study of obsolete weapons, alleging that it is of no practical use ; everything, however, is useful to the Art of Fence which tends to create an interest in it. and certain it is that such contests as "Rapier and Dagger," "Two hand Sword." or "Broadsword and Handbuckler," are a very great embellishment to the somewhat monotonous proceedings of the ordinary "assault of aims." The Combinations will be found extremely useful as forms of "set play" for combats on the dramatic stage.
I presuppose that, before turning his attention to the swordsmanship of bygone centuries, our student will have made himself reasonably proficient in the use of the modern arms-the foil and the sabre-under the tuition of some competent master.
ALFRED HUTTON.