Ebenezer Picken was the only son of a silk-weaver in Paisley, who bore
the same Christian name. He was born at the _Well-meadow_ of that town,
about the year 1769. Intending to follow the profession of a clergyman,
he proceeded to the University of Glasgow, which he attended during five
or six sessions. With talents of a high order, he permitted an
enthusiastic attachment to verse-making to interfere with his severer
studies and retard his progress in learning. Contrary to the counsel of
his father and other friends, he published, in 1788, while only in his
nineteenth year, a thin octavo volume of poems; and afterwards gave to
the gay intercourse of lovers of the muse, many precious hours which
ought to have been applied to mental improvement. Early in 1791 he
became teacher of a school at Falkirk; and on the 14th of April of the
same year appeared at the Pantheon, Edinburgh, where he delivered an
oration in blank verse on the comparative merits of Ramsay and
Fergusson, assigning the pre-eminence to the former poet. In this debate
his fellow-townsman and friend, Alexander Wilson, the future
ornithologist, advocated in verse the merits of Fergusson; and the
productions of both the youthful adventurers were printed in a pamphlet
entitled the "Laurel Disputed." In occupying the position of
schoolmaster at Falkirk, Picken proposed to raise funds to aid him in
the prosecution of his theological studies; but the circumstance of his
having formed a matrimonial union with a young lady, a daughter of Mr
Beveridge of the Burgher congregation in Falkirk, by involving him in
the expenses of a family, proved fatal to his clerical aspirations. He
accepted the situation of teacher of an endowed school at Carron, where
he remained till 1796, when he removed to Edinburgh. In the capital he
found employment as manager of a mercantile establishment, and
afterwards on his own account commenced business as a draper.
Unsuccessful in this branch of business, he subsequently sought a
livelihood as a music-seller and a teacher of languages. In 1813, with
the view of bettering his circumstances, he published, by subscription,
two duodecimo volumes of "Poems and Songs," in which are included the
pieces contained in his first published volume. His death took place in
1816.
Picken is remembered as a person of gentlemanly appearance, endeavouring
to confront the pressure of unmitigated poverty. His dispositions were
eminently social, and his love of poetry amounted to a passion. He is
commemorated in the poetical works of his early friend, Wilson, who has
addressed to him a lengthened poetical epistle. In 1818, a dictionary of
Scottish words, which he had occupied some years in preparing, was
published at Edinburgh by "James Sawers, Calton Street," and this
publication was found of essential service by Dr Jamieson in the
preparation of his "Supplement" to his "Dictionary of the Scottish
Language." Among Picken's poetical compositions are a few pieces bearing
the impress of genius.[11]
[11] Andrew Picken, the only son of Ebenezer, a person of somewhat
unprepossessing appearance, contrived to derive a tolerable livelihood
by following the conjunct occupation of an itinerant player and
portrait-painter. He was the writer of some good poetry, and about 1827
published a respectable volume of verses, entitled, "The Bedouin, and
other Poems." He soon afterwards proceeded to America.