At the age of 16 he entered the University of Edinburgh. Instead of taking a regular course, he selected chemistry, physics, zoology and botany. Forbes was then the professor of physics; Rankine attended his class twice; the first year he received the gold medal for an essay on "The Undulatory Theory of Light," and the subsequent year an extra prize for one on "Methods of Physical Manipulation." It appears that he did not enter any class of pure mathematics at the University, having already advanced beyond the parts then taught. At this time he was attracted, like many other mathematicians at the beginning of their independent career, by the theory of numbers. In his leisure time he studied extensively the works of Aristotle, Locke, Hume, Stewart, and other philosophers.
Before finishing his studies at the University of Edinburgh, he had gained some practical experience by assisting his father in his work as a railroad engineer. There was then no professor of engineering at the University of Edinburgh; some 20 years later Fleeming Jenkin was appointed, and given that whole province which is now divided at this University into four great departments. Hence, at the age of 18, Rankine was made a pupil of Sir John Macneill, civil engineer, and as a pupil he was employed for four years on various surveys and schemes for river improvements, waterworks, and harbors in Ireland. It was then that he became personally acquainted with the "gorgeous city of Mullingar," which he has described minutely and gracefully in an ode to its praise. He was likewise employed on the construction of the Dublin and Drogheda railway and it was while so engaged that he contrived the method of setting out curves which is known as Rankine's method.
Having finished his term of pupilage, he returned to his father's home in Edinburgh, and commenced the practice of his profession. One of the first projects entrusted to his care was rather singular. In 1842 Queen Victoria visited Scotland for the first time, and resided for several days in the home of her Stuart ancestors Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. Royal visits to Scotland were not so frequent then as they afterwards became. One manifestation of rejoicing took the form of a
