Louisa Stuart Costello - Lines.—Why look'd I on that fatal line lyrics

Why look'd I on that fatal line? Why did I pray that page to see? Too well I knew no word of thine Was fraught with aught but pain to me. I should have known, I should have thought The fleeting hope would soon decay! So oft the gleam of joy it brought Has only shone to pa** away. Thy hand had traced the words I read; And in that dream I wandered on— Forgot their cherish'd spell was fled, Thy vows no more—thy fondness gone. I lived whole years of joy again I dwelt on each recorded vow; Oh! tender was their meaning then— Alas! they have no meaning now!