Yet when the retort is to be exposed to a most violent fire, and especially when it is required that the heat shall act with equal force on all parts of the furnace, and as strongly on its vault as on its bottom, a greater distance must be left between the retort and the inside of the furnace; for then the furnace may be filled with coals, even to the upper part of the dome. If moreover some pieces of wood be put into the ash-hole, the conical canal fitted on to the funnel of the dome, and all the apertures of the furnace exactly closed, except the ash-hole and the chimney, the greatest heat will then be excited that this furnace can produce. The furnace now described may also be employed in many other chymical operations. If the dome be laid aside, an alembic may very well be placed therein: but then the space, which will be left between the body of the alembic and the top of the upper part of the furnace, must be carefully filled up with Windsor-loam moistened; for without that precaution the heat will soon reach the very head, which ought to be kept as cool as possible, in order to promote the condensation of the vapours. On this occasion therefore it will be proper to leave no holes open in the fire-place, but the lateral ones; of which also those over-against the receiver must be stopped. A pot, or broad-brimmed earthen pan, may be placed over this furnace, and being so fitted to it as to close the upper part thereof accurately, and filled with sand, may serve for a sand-heat to distil with. The bars designed to support distilling vessels being taken out, a crucible may stand therein, and many operations be performed that do not require the utmost violence of fire. In a word, this furnace is one of the most commodious that can be, and more extensively useful than any other. The Melting furnace is designed for applying the greatest force of heat to the most fixed bodies, such as metals and earths. It is never employed in distilling: it is of no use but for calcination and fusion; and consequently need not admit any vessels but crucibles. The ash-hole of this furnace differs from that of the reverberating furnace only in this, that it must be higher, in order to raise the fire-place to a level with the artist's hand; because in that all the operations of this furnace are performed. The ash-hole therefore must be about three feet high: and this heighth procures it moreover the advantage of a good draught of air. For the same reason, and in consequence of the principles we laid down, it should be so built that its width lessening insensibly from the bottom to the top, it may be narrower where it opens into the fire-place than any where below.