When Maria Edgeworth visited Sir Walter Scott* at Abbotsford, she proposed a visit to Melrose, quoting his famous lines: "If you would see Melrose aright, / Go visit it by the pale moonlight. " Scott at once assented, adding, "By all means let us go; I myself have never seen Melrose by moonlight."
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Sir Walter Scott, one day in spring, was walking round Abbotsford with Lady Scott. Passing a field where there were a number of ewes and frolicking lambs, Sir Walter said: "Ah, 'tis no wonder that poets, from the earliest ages, have made the lamb the emblem of peace and innocence." "Delightful animals indeed," rejoined Lady Scott, "especially with mint sauce."
瑪麗亞.埃奇沃思到阿伯茨福德訪沃爾特.司各脫爵士*,提議同往梅爾羅斯一遊,並引司各脫的名句說:「梅爾羅斯風景好,幽幽月下更堪憐。」司各脫欣然同意,還說:「好啊,我們去吧。我也沒有見過月下的梅爾羅斯。」
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有一天,沃爾特.司各脫爵士和夫人在阿伯茨福德散步。時值三春,他們經過田野,看見些母羊,還有些羔羊在嬉戲。司各脫爵士說:「怪不得自古以來,詩人都以羔羊象徵和平、純潔。」他夫人回答說:「不錯,羔羊的確惹人愛,特別是用薄荷醬烹煑。」
*埃奇沃思(1767-1849)是英國小說家,司各脫(1771-1832)則是小說家兼詩人。