Library of the best American literature / Containing the lives of our authors in story form, their portraits, their homes, and their personal traits, how they worked and what they wrote; choice selections from eminent writers, embracing great American poets and novelists, foremost women in American letters, distinguished critics and essayists, our national humorists, noted journalists and magazine contributors, popular writers for young people, great orators and public lecturers

by Unknown

Chains!—this the recompense I earn!

The fetters of the slave!

Yon sun that sinketh ’neath the sea,

Rises on realms I found for thee.

I served thee as a son would serve;

I loved thee with a father’s love;

It ruled my thought, and strung my nerve,

To raise thee other lands above,

That thou, with all thy wealth, might be

The single empress of the sea.