Magic lyer

• lyre: a musical instrument; Wheatstone's acoucrytophone resembled a lyre

• lyre: akin to the harp of Guinness Beer

• liar → Wheatstone's acoucryptophone only appeared to play itself → see Fake! and pretendant for other instances of deception in this section

• lier: one who lies down (like HCE in bed)

• magic eye: a miniature cathode-ray tube used as a tuning indicator on a radio receiver (Dbln. W. K. O. O.), or to indicate the correct adjustment of other electrical equipment

• lyer: someone who cleans with lye

Commentary

Charles Wheatstone's acoucryptophone appeared to play itself by picking up vibrations from a piano being played in another room; is Joyce suggesting that Miry Mitchel and Fiery Farrelly are similarly linked, the former only pretending to play the Jew's-harp while the latter is the real source of the music?

Another potential meaning stems from Guinness beer, which prominently displays a harp on its insignia. Symbolic of the life blood of the Universe or the blood of Finnegan, Guinness is a recurring motif throughout the Wake. The tripartite reference to a harp suggests what Joyce goes on to state bluntly: "they will be pretumbling forover." They will be consuming the life blood beer forever in anticipation of the fall.