g Hercules about him. In the first exercises of strength he acquired
more strength, and in acquiring more strength he burst the bonds that
had confined him.

"Es machte mir zu eng, ich mussie fort."[86]

The reign of George IV. began with resolute efforts of the Parliament
not to lengthen, as in England under his grandfather, but to shorten its
own commission, and to become septennial. Surely this was a noble
effort. It meant the greatness of their country, and it meant also
personal self-sacrifice. The Parliament which then existed, elected
under a youth of twenty-two, had every likelihood of giving to the bulk
of its members a seat for life. This they asked to change for a
_maximum_ term of seven years. This from session to session, in spite of
rejection after rejection in England, they resolutely fought to obtain.
It was an English amendment which, on a doubtful pretext; changed seven
years to eight. Without question some acted under the pressure of
constituents; but only a minority of the members had constituents, and
popular exigencies from such a quarter might have been bought off by an
occasional vote, and could not have induced a war with the Executive and
with England so steadily continued, unless a higher principle had been
at work.

The triumph came at last; and from 1768 onwards the Commons never wholly
relapsed into their former quiescence. True, this was for a Protestant
House, constituency, and nation; but ere long they began to enlarge
their definition of nationality. Flood and Lucas, the commanders in the
real battle, did not dream of giving the Roman Catholics a political
existence, but to their own constituents they performed an honourable
service and gave a great boon. Those, who had insincerely supported the
measure, became the dupes of their own insincerity. In the very year of
this victory, a Bill for a slight relaxation of the penal laws was
passed, but met its death in England.[87] Other Bills followed, and one
of them became an Act in 1771. A beginning had thus been made on behalf
of religious liberty, as a corollary to political emancipation. It was
like a little ray of light piercing its way through the rocks into a
cavern and supplying the prisoner at once with guidance and with hope.
Resolute action, in withholding or shortening supply, convinced the
Executive in Dublin, and the Ministry in London, that serious business
was intended. And it appeared, even in this early stage, how nece