Wallinstone national

Wellington Museum + Irish National Museum

This begins 2 1/2 pages of a tour through a museum, which ends with the one-word paragraph "Phew!" on page 10. Much of what follows is the tour guide's description of various exhibits.

The museum is based on the Wellington Museum, which is in Apsley House, 149 Piccadilly, Hyde Park Corner, London; and also on the National Museum of Ireland on Merrion Street in Dublin.

The Dublin Museum "has fossil and taxidermied specimens of animals from around the world. Its collection and Victorian appearance have not changed significantly since the early 20th century, and so the specimens are mainly mounted and placed together in long rows of large, wood-framed glass cases as if by collectors, in contrast to the small-scale habitat recreations seen in most modern natural history museums. Many of the animal specimens date back to the late 19th century and show their age through their faded and worn pelts and hides, as well as less realistic methods of preservation. The ground floor focuses on animals native to Ireland, and includes what is perhaps the largest collection of Irish Elk skeletons in the world. The upper floors host an overview of animals from around the world organized by taxonomy, from higher order mammals to invertebrates. Except for animals such as the Quagga who became extinct in relatively recent times, this collection is only of modern animals still extant. The Merrion Street site has been operational since 1857 as part of the Royal Dublin Society." (wikipedia)

Note the references to dinosaurs on the preceding page (Bronto, ichthy, etc.).

From the Wellington Museum's website: "Designed by Robert Adam between 1771-8. The Duke of Wellington bought it and enlarged it in 1817. From then on it became a superb setting for his collection of pictures, sculptures, furniture, silver, porcelain, caricatures, medals and memorabilia."

Wellington (Arthur Wesley, later Wellesley) was born in Ireland (possibly Dublin), defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, and later became Prime Minister. He was an elitist Tory.

Joyce thus combines natural ancient history with very recent (and propagandistic/vainglorious) history, as well as Dublin and London, suggesting a thematic parallel.