Sir Walter Scott ，1771—1832，the great Scotch poet and novelist，was born in Edinburgh.Being a feeble child，he was sent to reside on his grandfather's estate in the south of Scotland.Here he spent several years，and gained much knowledge of the traditions of border warfare，as well as of the tales and ballads pertaining to it.He was also a great reader of romances in his youth.In 1779 be returned to Edinburgh，and became a pupil in the high school.Four years later，he entered the university；but in neither school nor college，was he distinguished for scholarship.In 1797 he was admitted to the practice of law，——a profession which he soon forsook for literature.His first poems appeared in 1802.The “Lay of the Last Minstrel”was published in 1805，“Marmion”in 1808，and “The Lady of the Lake”in 1810.Several poems of less power followed.In 1814 “Waverley，”his first novel，made its appearance，but the author was unknown for some time.Numerous other novels followed with great rapidity，the author reaping a rich harvest both in fame and money.In 1811 he purchased an estate near the Tweed，to which he gave the name of Abbotsford.In enlarging his estate and building a costly house，he spent vast sums of money.This，together with the failure of his publishers in 1826，involved him very heavily in debt.But he set to work with almost superhuman effort to pay his debts by the labors of his pen.In about four years，he had paid more than $ 300，000；but the effort was too much for his strength，and hastened his death.

In person，Scott was tall，and apparently robust，except a slight lameness with which he was affected from childhood.He was kindly in disposition，hospitable in manner，fond of outdoor pursuits and of animals，especially dogs.He wrote with astonishing rapidity，and always in the early morning.At his death，he left two sons and two daughters.A magnificent monument to his memory has been erected in the city of his birth.The following selection is from “The Lady of the Lake.”

Soldier，rest！thy warfare o'er，

Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking；

Dream of battlefields no more，

Days of danger，nights of waking.

In our isle's enchanted hall，

Hands unseen thy couch are strewing，

Fairy strains of music fall，

Every sense in slumber dewing.

Soldier，rest！thy warfare o'er，

Dream of battlefields no more；

Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking，

Morn of toil，nor night of waking.

No rude sound shall reach thine ear，

Armor's clang，or war steed champing，

Trump nor pibroch summon here

Mustering clan，or squadron tramping.

Yet the lark's shrill fife may come，

At the daybreak from the fallow，

And the bittern sound his drum，

Booming from the sedgy shallow.

Ruder sounds shall none be near，

Guards nor warders challenge here，

Here's no war steed's neigh and champing，

Shouting clans or squadrons stamping.

Huntsman，rest！thy chase is done；

While our slumb'rous spells assail ye，

Dream not，with the rising sun，

Bugles here shall sound reveille.

Sleep！the deer is in his den；

Sleep！thy hounds are by thee lying；

Sleep！nor dream in yonder glen，

How thy gallant steed lay dying.

Huntsman，rest；thy chase is done，

Think not of the rising sun，

For at dawning to assail ye，

Here no bugle sounds reveille.

譯文　TRANSLATION

沃爾特·司各特爵士（1771—1832），偉大的蘇格蘭詩人、小說家，生于愛丁堡。幼年時，身體羸弱的司各特，曾被送往祖父位于蘇格蘭南部的莊園休養(yǎng)。在莊園那幾年，司各特諳熟了邊區(qū)戰(zhàn)事的諸般傳統(tǒng)和相關(guān)的佚事、歌謠。年輕時，司各特嗜讀“羅曼司”傳奇。1779年，他回到愛丁堡上中學(xué)。四年后，進(jìn)入大學(xué)。然而，無論在中學(xué)還是大學(xué)，司各特都不以學(xué)業(yè)見長。1797年，他獲準(zhǔn)從業(yè)法律，但不久他就棄法從文。司各特最早的詩作發(fā)表于1802年。隨后，在1805年，發(fā)表《最后的游吟詩人之歌》，1808年發(fā)表《瑪密安》，1810年發(fā)表《湖上夫人》。繼之，他寫了一些稍弱的詩。1814年，他匿名發(fā)表第一部小說《威弗利》，隨之一發(fā)不可收，連續(xù)推出多部小說，這使司各特名利雙收。1811年，司各特在特維德附近購置了一處莊園，將其命名為“艾伯福德”，并耗用巨資用于擴(kuò)園和筑屋。為此，再加上1826年其出版商的經(jīng)營失敗，司各特債臺高筑。為償還債務(wù)，司各特以超人的能量投入辛勤的筆耕。在大約四年的時間里，司各特償還了三十多萬美元。但這長時間超負(fù)荷的工作使司各特積勞成疾，一病不起。

司各特身材高大、精力充沛，但受小兒麻痹癥的影響而有些微跛。他性情溫和，舉止殷勤，愛好戶外運(yùn)動并喜愛動物，尤其是狗。司各特下筆神速，總是在清晨寫作。在身后，司各特留下了兩兒和兩女。在他的故鄉(xiāng)愛丁堡有一座巨大的司各特紀(jì)念碑。下面的選段出自《湖上夫人》。

休息吧，士兵！戰(zhàn)事已結(jié)束。

睡吧，不受打擾地睡吧。

不必再夢到疆場，不必再夢到

那些危險的日子，那些警醒的夜晚！

在我們島上那施了魔法的大廳，

看不見的手已為你鋪好床鋪，

美妙的音樂淡去，睡意漸濃。

休息吧，士兵！戰(zhàn)事已結(jié)束。

睡吧，不受打擾地睡吧。

忘卻那辛勞的清晨，忘卻那警醒的夜晚。

不再聽到粗野的廝殺，

也不再聽到鎧甲的鏗錚和戰(zhàn)馬的咀嚼，

沒有了號角和風(fēng)笛的召喚，

也沒有了集結(jié)的宗族和馬隊(duì)的雜沓；

而云雀也許會吹響它清亮的笛，

在破曉時分，在休耕的土地上；

麻鴉也許會擂響它的鼓，

隆隆地回蕩在淺淺的莎草間。

除此，再沒有粗野的聲響。

沒有哨兵和守衛(wèi)的盤詰；

沒有戰(zhàn)馬在噴響鼻、在咀嚼，

沒有吶喊的宗族、沒有馬隊(duì)的雜沓。

獵手，休息吧！狩獵已結(jié)束。

當(dāng)睡意的魔咒鎖住了你，

別去夢那起床的號角

伴著朝陽又一次吹響；

睡吧，鹿在它的巢穴里；

睡吧，獵犬依偎在你身旁。

睡吧，別去夢山谷里

你高傲的戰(zhàn)馬僵臥在地上；

獵手，休息吧！狩獵已結(jié)束。

別去想那初生的朝陽，

因?yàn)樗獾哪е滏i住了你，

黎明，再沒有起床的號角響起。