Leonardo DaVinci (I kid you not!)

[CletusDwight]

Extract from his 'notebooks':-
Arranged, rendered into English by Edward McCurdy Sept 1938.
(I've had these for years - fascinating reading)

Quote:-
If you wish to make a fire which shall set a large room in a blaze without doing any harm you will proceed thus:
First perfume the air with dense smoke of incense or other strong smelling thing, then blow or cause to boil and reduce to steam ten pounds of Brandy.
But see that the room is closed altogether and throw powder of varnish among the fumes and this powder will be found floating upon the fumes: then seize a torch and enter suddenly into the room and instantly everything will become a sheet of flame.
Fornster 1 43 r

Again:-
Take away that yellow surface which covers the orange and distil it in a retort until the extract is pronounced perfect.
Close up the room thoroughly and have a brazier of copper or iron with a fire in it and sprinkle over it two pints of Brandy a little at a time in such a way that it will be changed into smoke.
Then get someone to come in with a light and you will see the room suddenly wrapped in flame as though it were a flash of lightning and it will do no harm to anyone.
Fornster 1 44 v
Unquote

Anyone care to try it?

[HookLine]

Anyone care to try it?

Er, pass. But I'll stand back a way and watch somebody else give it a go.

[theholymackerel]

If anyone trys it be sure to make a video. Heh.

[plonker]

Mmm.. interesting, he was a very smart guy.. I suspect this sort of stuff has been used by modern magicians for shows and effects.. Im thinking of Criss Angel here...