Finnegans Wake Grappa discussion

Campbell, pp. 101-102:

"The next four and a half pages (119-23 [OUP or Penguin]) parody the language of Sir Edward Sullivan's description and analysis of the Book of Kells. The reader of Finnegans Wake would do well to study that volume, and particularly its reproduction of the "Tunc page." The Book of Kells, a magnificently illuminated sixth or ninth century Irish Psalter, was buried, like our letter [the mamafesta of ALP], to protect it from the invading Danes, and was dug up again, centuries later, very badly damaged. The meticulously executed, unbelievable intricacy of the profoundly suggestive ornament of this monk work so closely resembles in its essential character the workmanship of Finnegans Wake that one is not entirely surprised to find Joyce describing the features of his own masterwork in language originally applied to the very much earlier monument of Celtic art. The Tunc page of the Book of Kells is devoted entirely to the words "Tunc crucifixerant XPI cum eo duos latrones" (Matt. xxvii, 38), i.e., "Then there were two thieves crucified with him." The Greek XPI (Christos) is an interpolation. The illumination is an astonishing comment on this text, strangely suggestive of pre-Christian and oriental symbols. The reader of Finnegans Wake will not fail to recognize in this page something like a mute indication that here is the key to the entire puzzle: and he will be the more concerned to search its meaning when he reads Joyce's boast on page 298: "I've read your tunc's dismissage."

Sir Edward Sullivan begins his study of the Book of Kells with the words: "Its weird and commanding beauty; its subdued and goldless colouring; the baffling intricacy of its fearless designs; the clean, unwavering sweep of rounded spiral; the creeping undulations of serpentine forms that writhe in artistic profusion throughout the mazes of its decorations; the strong and legible minuscule of its text; the quaintness of its striking portraiture; the unwearied reverence and patient labour that brought it into being; all of which combined to go to make up the Book of Kells, have raised this ancient Irish volume to a position of abiding preeminence amongst the illuminated manuscripts of the world..." And Joyce describes the little exhumed letter: "those indignant whiplooplashes; those so prudently bolted or blocked rounds; the touching reminiscence of an incompletet trail or dropped final; a round thousand whirligig glorioles, prefaced by (alas!) now illegible airy plumeflights, all tiberiously ambiembellishing the initials majuscule of Earwicker..." and so forth, to the top of page 123. Among the features is a curious warning sign "which paleographers call 'a leak in the thatch' or 'the Aranman whispering through the hole of his hat,' indicating that the words which follow may be taken in any order desired." (121) This corresponds to a symbol described by Sir Edward: "The symbol C, known in Irish MSS. as 'head under wing' or 'turn under the path'-which indicated that the words immediately following it are to be read after the next full line." And toward the bottom of page 122 of Finnegans Wake it is even suggested that the form of the postscript of the letter must have inspired "the tenebrous Tunc page of the Book of Kells."

Tunc!!

Any chance of our jpg=competent members might post Wake-specific-relevant photos into this here thread? Meanwhile, the google=images :: https://www.google.com/search?q=book+...