News from Calabria! Capture of Buenos Aryes! i.e. the comforts of an imperial déjeuné at St. Cloud's / [graphic]

"Napoleon, in frenzied passion (cf. BMSat 9998), has risen from his chair at a round breakfast table, overturning it. He has seized the massive urn and is about to bang it on the head of Talleyrand whom he holds by the ear, while kicking him behind. Talleyrand, terrified, drops two papers: 'Defaite de I'Armée Francois en Calabria' and 'la Prise de Buenos-Ayres'. His bag-wig flies off. He wears gown, bands, and rosary over his suit, and has the usual heightened shoe, which indicates his lameness. Napoleon says with savage ferocity: ""Out on ye Owl! - noting but song of Death?" ['Richard III', IV. iv]. The breakfast combines informality with pomp. Napoleon wears a cap and a dressing-gown over his military tunic with slippers and ungartered stockings. His upright chair is close to Josephine's armchair. The small table was covered with (gold) tea and coffee things, a dish of fruit, a dish of boiled eggs, a bottle of wine and one glass, bread and a bread knife; all these slide to the ground, with a newspaper, 'The Moniteur', on which headings are legible: 'Projet pour Subjuger le Monde [cf. BMSats 10558, 10762,10997] - Great Britain - Russia Swed[en] - Turkey - Persia - Chim . . - Cariby [sic] . . .' Boiling water from the urn cascades into Josephine's lap; its lid is an imperial crown which flies off, its body a terrestrial globe. Josephine, much bejewelled, and wearing a crown which falls off, is in déshabillé; she throws up her arms in terror; her tea-cup falls. On the r. are ranks of diplomats or messengers, proffering papers: Holland, a clumsy Dutch burgher, kneeling, holds out 'Holland Starving! - & ripe for a Revolt'. An Austrian officer, also kneeling, holds out 'All Germany Rising, & Arming en Masse'. An erect Swedish officer holds out 'Swedish Defiance - Charles ye XII Redivivus'. An abjectly kneeling Spaniard holds 'Spain in Despair for the loss of her Colonies'. Those behind the first rank stand, holding up their papers: Russia, an oafish fellow in fur-trimmed uniform, holds out: 'St Petersburg - Refusal to Ratify the French Treaty'. A Prussian holds up the cap of a Death's Head Hussar and a paper: 'Prussia rousing from her Trance of Death'. Behind him is a Turk, his paper: 'Turkey Invoking Mahomet'. A plainly dressed Swiss holds up: 'Switzerland cursing the French Yoke'. The other envoys, hidden behind their companions, are represented only by outstretched arms; these hold out: 'Suspicions of the new Confederated States of ye Rhine'; 'Italy shaking off her Chains'; 'La Vendee again in Motion'; 'Portugal True, to the last Gasp'; 'Sicily Firing like Ætna'; 'Denmark waiting for an Opportunity'. In the foreground, on the floor, are papers on which Napoleon had been engaged when interrupted by bad news: an open coffer is inscribed 'Cabinet de Lor Loderdale'; bundles of papers are: 'Preliminairs ... Paix'; 'Negotiation pour la Paix'; 'Termes de Paix Inadmissible [signed] C. J. Fox'; 'Projet pour . . . Pa[? ix . . .] Bel [? gique]'. ..."--British Museum online catalogue