he might try and describe for temeraire a little of the slow political work of emancipation , the long years wilberforce had already spent nudging one partial act and then another forward through parliament , and how they were still laboring to ban even the trade ; but that seemed to him poor consolation to offer , and not much use as a model : so slow and calculated a progress would never recommend itself to temeraire 's eager soul , and they would have little time to pursue politics while engaged in their duties in any case .