Quote Originally Posted by WBHenry View Post
Although many consider him to be taken far too seriously, I have generally followed the advice of Fox-Davies: "The position of the charges need not be specified when they would naturally fall into a certain position with regard to the ordinaries," in this case, the fess. I also like the old rule concerning blazons using as few words as possible to get the description across. I find there is a certain elegance in brevity. No matter...
Despite Fox-Davies prolific outpouring of heraldic treatises, during his life time neither the College of Arms, nor the Ulster King of Arms saw fit to employ him as a herald, despite his frequent requests for appointment to those Offices of Arms. Generally speaking his historical research was, for the times, first rate. Where his work sometimes falters is in expressing opinions that, then and now, may be at variance with the precision required when creating the blazon found in a letters patent, which is, after all, a legal document giving title to a coat of arms and therefor must be exact in describing those arms.

While I agree with Shakespeare that "brevity is the soul of wit", you'd be surprised at the number of half wits out there who can make a real dog's dinner out of a coat of arms, even when given the most precise of blazons.