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Aqua fortis

If your retort is well luted you should not surround it with ashes, which would only prevent the vapors from escaping properly. But when, towards the end, you fire it intensely, surround it with charcoals lit elsewhere beforehand, such as those in the furnace should be, so they do not crackle or smoke. Place said lit charcoals around the body of the retort, not close to the neck, which does not need to be heated as much. The top grate, on which you place your retort, should be sufficiently far, one dour or half a foot, from the bottom grate where the charcoal is placed, since thus you will not waste as much aqua fortis.