Consider, if you will, Gavvin. He’s been going to a moderately large practice, fighting decent fencers (provosts, free scholars, senior scholars) for about six months. He’s been taught the generic strip-derived technique, and improves at a decent pace. Then his teacher made a mistake: his teacher purchased Tom Leoni’s translation of Giganti’s “The School”, a textbook of Italian rapier published in 1606. His teacher then urged Gavvin to purchase the same. Once Gavvin had read through it in its entirety, his teacher thought it would be a great idea to spend the first half hour of practice working through the book step by step, discussing each piece and its application to the day’s practice.
The teacher has also suggested Letia buy this, and it is currently en route to Letia’s house, whereupon once she’s read it, the teacher and Letia will work through it in the same step-by-step fashion, from the perspective of a more experienced fencer.
The teacher may also have thoughts of his own from his own study and experimentation, what with it having radically altered his fencing technique. Eh, probably not.
The teacher recognize he is by no means an expert, having now read the Giganti translation all of twice. He welcomes all additional commentary.
Finally, the teacher will try desperately not to kick Master Leoni’s intellectual property in the crotch, and apologizes if he infringes upon it.
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