On one such day when, standing on the high slope of Fifth Avenue where it rises toward the Park, and looking down on it, surging to and fro, it was as if, so manifest the brilliancy, every head wore a tin helmet, parrying sunlight at a thousand angles of refraction.

On clear days it threw off light like parrying steel in sunshine.

Upon his right hand Sir Brian rode and upon his left his chiefest esquire, and oft needs must they wheel their chargers to front the thunderous onset of Red Pertolepe's fierce van, at the which times Sir Benedict laughed and gibed through his vizor as he thrust and smote left-armed, parrying sword and lance-point right skilfully nevertheless, since shield he bare none.

Therefore, though their enemies drove on them ruthlessly, they succeeded in parrying the last sword-thrust, till they had completed even the gilding of the angel and trumpet on the summit of its lofty spire.

While I was muttering out something about the Panorama of those strange regions (which I had actually seen), by way of parrying the question, the coach stopping relieved me from any further apprehensions.

Steele, as an officer, then, or soon afterwards, made a Captain of Fusiliers, could not refuse to fight, but stood on the defensive; yet in parrying a thrust his sword pierced his antagonist, and the danger in which he lay quickened that abiding detestation of the practice of duelling, which caused Steele to attack it in his plays, in his 'Tatler', in his 'Spectator', with persistent energy.

It would not be amiss for a Man to see his Sword mounted, because the Cutlers, to save themselves the Trouble of filing the inside of the hilts and pommel, to make the Holes wider, often file the Tongue of the Blade too much, and fill up the Vacancies with Bits of Wood, by which Means the Sword is not firm in the Hand, and the tongue being thin and weak, is apt to break in Parrying or on a dry Beat, as has been unhappily experienced.

If after the Adversary has pushed Quart, he pushes Seconde; you must parry with the Fort, bringing it nearer to you, and for the greater Safety, or to avoid other Thrusts, or the taking Time on your return, you must oppose with the left hand, which hinders him from hitting you as he meets your Thrust, and from parrying it, for want of having his Sword at Liberty.

The same Opposition may be made on a Lunge in Quart, and to be more safe in returning Thrust or Thrusts, you must close the Measure in parrying, which confounds the Enemy, who finds himself too near to have the Use of his Sword: Your Sword, in parrying, must carry it's Point lower and more inward than in the other Parades.

The same Opposition may be made on a Lunge in Quart, and to be more safe in returning Thrust or Thrusts, you must close the Measure in parrying, which confounds the Enemy, who finds himself too near to have the Use of his Sword: Your Sword, in parrying, must carry it's Point lower and more inward than in the other Parades.

To this Manner of parrying Seconde, there is but one Opposite, which is done by feinting below, and as the Adversary is going to cross your Sword, in order to parry, you must disengage by a little Circle, with the Hand in Seconde, which preventing the Enemy's Sword, gives an Opportunity of hitting him above, if the Wrist is lower than I have observed, or in Flanconnade, if the Wrist is high.

This Parade is made by lowering the Adversary's Sword, bringing it under your's to the Inside, and parrying a little lower on the Feeble of his Sword, you make your Rispost where he intended his Thrust, that is to say in the Flank.

There are three Things more to be observed in parrying.

And if the Adversary makes this Parade in retiring, he gives you an Opportunity of cutting in Quart under the Wrist, and on his parrying with the Feeble, you must return in Seconde, bringing forward the Left-foot a little, in order to procure a Reprise or second Lunge.

These two Reprises are to be made before you are acquainted with your Adversary's Manner of parrying; but when you have discovered it, if it be with his Fort, you must cut over and under the Wrist in Quart, and if with his Feeble, return in Tierce, that is to say, make an entire Circle.

The third Reprise is made when the Enemy upon your pushing Quarte breaks Measure without or with parrying; to the one you must redouble in Quarte, with your Fort to his Feeble, which is done after a strait Thrust, Feint, Engagement, or Rispost; and if the Enemy parrys, you must likewise redouble forwards by a Disengagement, or a Cut under or over according to his Parade, or as Opportunity offers.

In order to avoid, and to hit the Enemy on his Pass, besides parrying and pushing strait, as in the Thrust lunged in Seconde, in the 6th Plate, you may also make a strait Thrust, opposing with the Left-hand, or by volting, as is shewn in the Cut of the 10th Plate.

But it is otherwise in Lunges, by reason of the Liberty of recovering and parrying.

[Illustration: Parrying and Disarming.]

These Sorts of Guards are not so much practised, with Sword in Hand, as the middling Guard, People being more careful of parrying with the Sword, and a Man is in much better Condition to parry from the middling Guard than from any other.

XXX. Rules for pushing and parrying at the Wall, and for making an Assault.

The taking a Lesson well, and the Manner of Pushing and Parrying which I have just described, may be attained to by Practice only, but some other things are necessary to make an Assault well; for besides the Turn of the Body, the Lightness, Suppleness and Vigour which compose the exteriour Part, you must be stout and prudent, qualities so essential, that without them you cannot act with a good Grace, nor to the purpose.

If a Man parrys with his Hand, and afterwards hit, his Thrust is not good, because by parrying with the Hand, his Antagonist's Foil is less at Liberty than if he had parryed with the Blade, and might be a Reason why he could not parry and risposte.

If in parrying, binding, or lashing the Foil, it Falls, and that the Thrust is made without Interval, it is Good.

To the two ladies who felt their own hearts stirred almost to tears of gratitude, he wasas he sat before them calm, unmoved, handling keen-edged facts with the easy rapidity of one accustomed to use them, smiling courteously and collectedly, parrying their expressions of appreciationto them, we say, at least to one of them, he was "the prince of gentlemen."