The Corsican spider in his web! / [graphic]

"A spider with the head of Napoleon is the centre of a large irregular web which stretches across the design. He wears his plumed bicorne, and his head is in profile to the left devouring two 'Spanish Flies' which fly into his mouth (Charles IV and Ferdinand). His bloated body is inscribed 'Unbounded Ambition'. The other flies in the web are Austrian Fly (left), with a number of little flies beside it; a swarm of 'Small Flies innumerable' is scattered thickly over the upper part of the web; on the outer circumference (right) the 'Pope Fly', saying, "I am afraid I shall be draggd in." Below: the 'Venetian Fly', a mere corpse; 'Italian Fly'. On the lower part of the web: 'Hamburgh Fly', 'Prussian Fly', 'Hanoverian Fly', 'Etrurion Fly'. The 'Portugeuse Fly', with a bottle (of Port) for a body, is on the circumference of the web. Below the 'Austrian Fly', 'Dutch Fly', with a human head smoking a pipe. Just touching the circumference with its front legs, below the Prussian and Hamburg Flies, is the 'Russian Fly', with the head of the Tsar, wearing a cocked hat; he says: "I declare I was half in the web, before I made the discovery." A large fly flying below the web (left), with a human head wearing a jewelled turban, is the 'Turkish Fly'; he says: "I am afraid it will be my turn next." In the upper left. corner, outside the web, is a solid John Bull, with four wings. He looks down at the spider, saying, "Ay you may look Master Spider but I am not to be caught in your web." Above and below the web are clouds."--British Museum online catalogue, description of a variant state