Carolina Oliphant had many suitors for her hand: she gave a preference
to William Murray Nairn, her maternal cousin, who had been Baron Nairn,
barring the attainder of the title on account of the Jacobitism of the
last Baron. The marriage was celebrated in June 1806. At this period, Mr
Nairn was Assistant Inspector-General of Barracks in Scotland, and held
the rank of major in the army. By Act of Parliament, on the 17th June
1824, the attainder of the family was removed, the title of Baron being
conferred on Major Nairn. This measure is reported to have been passed
on the strong recommendation of George IV.; his Majesty having learned,
during his state visit to Scotland in 1822, that the song of "The
Attainted Scottish Nobles" was the composition of Lady Nairn. The song
is certainly one of the best apologies for Jacobitism.
On the 9th of July 1830, Lady Nairn was bereaved of her husband, to whom
she had proved an affectionate wife. Her care had for several years been
assiduously bestowed on the proper rearing of her only child William,
who, being born in 1808, had reached his twenty-second year when he
succeeded to the title on the death of his father. This young nobleman
warmly reciprocated his mother's affectionate devotedness; and, making
her the associate of his manhood, proved a source of much comfort to her
in her bereavement. In 1837, he resolved, in her society, to visit the
Continent, in the hope of being recruited by change of climate from an
attack of influenza caught in the spring of that year. But the change
did not avail; he was seized with a violent cold at Brussels, which,
after an illness of six weeks, proved fatal. He died in that city on the
7th of December 1837. Deprived both of her husband and her only child, a
young nobleman of so much promise, and of singular Christian worth, Lady
Nairn, though submitting to the mysterious dispensations with becoming
resignation, did not regain her wonted buoyancy of spirit. Old age was
rapidly approaching,--those years in which the words of the inspired
sage, "I have no pleasure in them," are too frequently called forth by
the pressure of human infirmities. But this amiable lady did not sink
under the load of affliction and of years: she mourned in hope, and wept
in faith. While the afflictions which had mingled with her cup of
blessings tended to prevent her lingering too intently on the past,[45]
the remembrance of a life devoted to deeds of piety and virtue was a
solace greater than any other earthly object could impart, leading her
to hail the future with sentiments of joyful anticipation. During the
last years of her life, unfettered by worldly ties, she devoted all her
energies to the service of Heaven, and to the advancement of Christian
truth. Her beautiful ode, "Would you be young again?" was composed in
1842, and enclosed in a letter to a friend; it is signally expressive of
the pious resignation and Christian hope of the author.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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