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regretted by King George IV. , as there had been no op-portunity of granting them the personal interview, whichwas the chief object of their visit to Britain ; and which hedesired as a proof of courtesy to stranger sovereigns who,entered so lately within the pale of civilization, had comeso far to throw themselves at his feet, and to acknowledge hissuperiority. Besides, the commercial interests of Englandin the Pacific are likely to be greatly injured in case theSandwich Islands should fall into the hands of the Russians or Americans, and it was of some importance to grant theprotection the king had come to seek, for our own sake aswell as for his.
His majesty, therefore, appointed the 11th of Septemberas the day on which he could see them at Windsor, whitherthey were conducted by Mr. Byng.
Never, perhaps, was interview with a monarch so highlyprized. Prepared as they were, by long dwelling on thehappiness and honour they should derive from personal in-tercourse, to see every thing great in the King of England,they seem to have been touched and astonished in a veryhigh degree at the graciousness and elegance of his manner,the kindness of his expressions when speaking of the deathof their king, and of his wishes for their prosperity and that