When I was researching Gekken I came across an 1890's English textbook/phrasebook with all kinds of interesting snippets of knowledge about "fencing" as they called it. Its interesting because one presumes that these were common saying/ instructions at the time. For the Japanese scholar there are lots of the older style Kanji and Kana usage.
I wonder if this was written by Captain Hutton. He wrote a treaty on Old sword play in 1892 and he spoke several oriental languages. He even wrote a book on Jujutsu. http://www.thearma.org/essays/BritLegacy.htm#.U8zaRv7tMxA
Thanks for the link! While Mr. Hutton looks like a pretty cool dude ("he learned several oriental languages"), it appears the book 英語学大全 The Study of English "Daizen" is by 織田純一郎 Oda Junichiro (1851-1919). Looks like his father was a bigwig in Kyoto, the Kyoto Shoshidai京都所司代, or the protector of Kyoto.
Thats interesting thank you. Didnt realise that English fencing was being wriiten about in Japan so early. Aparantly some of Huttons work is based on George Silver and earlier works back to the time of the War of the Roses so maybe, and I say MAYBE the author saw some similarties with some of the old Koryu. But then I really am just thinking out loud with that last statement.
well that chap lived and studied in the UK and travelled around Europe as well so maybe their paths crossed.