ARCHERY:
ITS THEORY AND PRACTICE.
BY
HORACE
A. FORD.
(Holder
of the Champion's Medal for 1849-50-51.52.53.54.55.56.57 and 1858.)
SECOND
EDITION.
PREFACE
TO
THE FIRST EDITION.
GENTLE
READER,
The
favour bestowed on my late Articles upon the "Theory and
Practice of Archery," published some months back in the Field
newspaper, has induced me to present them to your notice embodied in
their present more perュmanent form. Considerable additional
matter, and the necessary illustrations and diagrams, (which were
unュsuited to the former mode of publication,) have now been
introduced, but with this exception and some few trifling
alterations, the present Work is very much a r駸um? of those
Articles, a careful revision having suggested no modification of the
views and theories therein laid down.
If
you are already an Archer, it is hoped the perusal of the following
pages may assist your onward progress in the noble Art — if one of
those benighted beings who know it not, then that it may at least
induce you to commence its study; having done so, there is little
fear of your ever abandoning the pursuit.
Your
sincere well-wisher and friend, THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE
TO
THE SECOND EDITION.
BRETHREN
OF THE BOW,
Three
more National Archery Meetings have come, and gone, since the First
Edition of this Work issued from the Press. The result of those
Meetings has been to confirm me in my position as Holder of the
Champion's Medal, and also to convince me more firmly than ever of
the correctness of the theories and principles of our Art, as laid
down in "The Theory and Practice of Archery." I might,
perhaps, without undue vanity, lay the "flatュtering unction
to my soul" that the great improvement which has evidently taken
place during the last two years, was, in some degree, owing to the
more general adoption of those principles; be this as it may, I can,
at any rate, point to several of the leading Archers of the day as
having attained their position in consequence of having formed, or
re-formed, their practice in conformity with them. This being so, you
will require no apology at my hands for introducing this Second
Edition to your notice — nay, more, you will doubtless evince your
appreciation of my labours in your behalf, by rendering it imperative
upon me to contemplate even the possibility of a Third issue. Anyway,
if I can but assist, in however slight a degree, in the spread and
improvement of our favorite amusement, my first object, in having
published my lucubrations at all, will have been gained.
Your
friend,
THE
AUTHOR.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
I.
INTRODUCTORY
CHAPTER
II.
A GLANCE AT THE CAREER OF THE ENGLISH LONG BOW.
The
Anglo-Norman Period — Robin Hood — Military Achieveュments of
the Bow in the Middle Ages — Its Decline and Fall — Revival for
Amusement — First Toxophilite Societies — Grand National Archery
Society
CHAPTER
III.
OF
THE BOW.
Variety
of its Form and Material — The Flodden Bow — The Bows in the
Tower — The Self-Bow, and the various Woods of which it is made —
Yew, its Quality and Superiority — How to secure Pins — The
proper Shape of the Bow — Its correct Length — The Backed Bow —
Various Woods of which it is made — The Yew-backed Yew — The
Reflexed Shape conュdemned, and why — A Comparison between Self
and Backed Yew Bows — The Carriage Bow
CHAPTER
IV.
HOW
TO CHOOSE A BOW, AND HOW TO USE
AND
PRESERVE IT WHEN CHOSEN.
Popular
Errors in the Choice of a Bow — Most accomplished Shots —
Directions as to Strength of Bow to be Chosen — General Principles
to. Guide its Selection — Reasons why Bows are Broken — How to
secure Chrysals — General Direcュtions for its Preservation and
Repair — Of Broken Limbs — Concerning Unstringing — Weight and
Length of Ladies' Bows — Care in the Choice and Use of a Bow
recommended
CHAPTER
V.
OF
THE ARROW.
Essentials
of an Arrow — How to Test its Straightness and Strength — Best
kind of Arrow, and best Materials for its Manufacture — Apparent
Antagonism between the Theory and Practice of Archery, as regards the
Flight of the Arrow, discussed and explained — The Chested and
Bobtailed Arrows condemned, and why Various Shapes of the Arrow —
Its Feathering — Its Pile — Its Nock — Its Length — Its
Weight — How to Preserve the Feathers from Damp, and to Restore
them to Shape when Ruffled by Wet — Curious Effects in Different
Feathering of Arrows — Change of Tackle whilst Shooting condemned —
How to Keep and Preserve Arrows — Necessity of Good "Stopping"
CHAPTER
VI.
OF
THE STRING, THE BRACER, AND SHOOTING-GLOVE.
The
Best Strings — Directions in their Choice — How to make the Loop
— Its Length — Some Directions for its Preservation The Object of
the Bracer — Ascham's Idea of it — Directions for its Make,
Material, and Mode of Fixture — Importance of a Well-fitting
Shooting-Glove — Difficulty of laying down Defined Rules for its
Size, Shape, &c. — Some Directions for its Manufacture — Some
Specimens of Good Gloves — The Tab
CHAPTER
VII.
OF
THE GREASE-BOX, TASSELL, BELT, ETC.
The
Grease-box — The Tassel — The Belt — The Scoring Appaュratus
— The Ascham — The Register — The Targets — The Stands —
The Meyler Stand — The Quiver
CHAPTER
VIII.
OF BRACING AND HOCKING.
Different
Modes of Bracing — How to Accomplish it — The Proper Bend of the
Bow when Strung — How to Ascertain it — The Ordinary Direction
for Nocking condemned, and why The Better Mode — The Nocking Place
— The Proper Degree of Tightness — A Word to the Young Archer as
to Changing the Nocking part
CHAPTER
IX.
OF
POSITION.
The
Standing and Attitudes of the Archer — Requirements of a Good
Position — What to Observe, and What to Avoid — The Position of
Feet, Heels, Knees, Shoulders, Body, and Head — The Grasp of the
Bow — Waring's Method condemned, and why — The Opposite also
condemned — The Proper Grasp — The Position of the Bow
CHAPTER
X.
OF
DRAWING.
Drawing
an Essential Feature of Archery — Examples of Bad Methods —
Different Modes adopted by Good Archers — The Best Mode —
Necessity of Drawing an Even Length, and inutility of Devices to
attain it — Unremitting Practice the only way — A Common Failing
of all Archers — General Directions for Drawing — Position of
Left Arm a most important Feature — Mr. Waring's Arm-striking
Theory condemned, and why — Necessity of an Unobstructed Pasュsage
of the String demonstrated — Proper Position of the Left Arm —
The Length of the Draw — Drawing to the Breast condemned, and why —
Concluding Remarks
CHAPTER
XI.
OF AIMING.
Prevailing
Ignorance on this Point — Absence of Scientific Inュstruction
upon it in all Existing Works — Curious Expedients resorted to to
Obtain an Aim — These "dodges" condemned, and why —
Directions for its Full and Proper Attainment, and its Theory clearly
elucidated — The Direct and Indirect Vision — The Point of Aim
Explained — An Example — How the Direct Vision should be applied
— Aiming at Lengths beyond the Target Distances — Shutting One
Eye
CHAPTER
XII.
OF HOLDING AND LOOSING.
Ascham's
Directions the Correct Ones — Importance of Loosュing —
Misapprehension amongst Archers concerning it — Neュcessity of
its Perfect Command — What is and what is not a Good Loose — Its
Effect upon the Flight of the Arrow — Directions for its Proper
Attainment — Position of the String upon the Fingers — Some Ugly
Habits condemned
CHAPTER
XIII.
OF DISTANCE SHOOTING.
Its
Divisions — Clout-shooting — The Modern System conュsidered as
a Test of Skill or Strength — The Edinburgh Match — Justice to
Modern Clout-shooting not forgotten — Roving — Flight-shooting —
Length of Probable Range considered — Experiments of Mr. Muir —
My Own
CHAPTER
XIV.
OF
ANCIENT AND MODERN SCORING.
Best
Shots of the Toxophilites — Best Scores of Mr. Brady, Mr. Crunden,
Mr. Palmer, Mr. Cazalet, Mr. Shepheardュ — Result of Mr.
Waring's Arm-striking Theory — Mr. Anderュson the "Incomparable"
Archer — More Modern Archers — Shooting at the National Meetings
considered — Some Scores of Messrs. Ford, Garnett, Bramhall, Moore,
Maitュland, Flood, Marr, Heath, Watson, and Muir — First and
Second Scores of all the National Meetings to July, 1858 —
Concluding Remarks
CHAPTER
XV.
Robin
Hood — Distance, Accuracy and Force of the Shooting of his time —
Did he Shoot in a Modern Hat — Social Characュter of Archery —
Observations to a Young Archer — Also to an Old One — A Short
Address to the Fair Sex — A Farewell
CHAPTER
XVI.
On the
Formation, Rules, and Regulations of Societies