How does the Time Traveller's visit to the palace help his situation and ease his worry? Why is the time travellers confidence ironic?

The Time Traveller and Weena's visit to the Palace of Green Porcelain contains the ruins of "latter day South Kensington." While there, he takes a box of matches and a lever he broke off a machine to defend himself against the Morlocks. This is ironic because the fire from the matches saves his life on more than a few occasions.