It is curious to see that in Germany, where till lately the theory of was much more cultivated than in Newton’s native land itself, where Maxwell’s t… - Ludwig Boltzmann

But how can the molecules of a behave as rigid bodies? Are they not composed of smaller atoms? Probably they are; but the of their internal s is transformed into progressive and rotatory motion so slowly, that when a gas is brought to a lower temperature the molecules may retain for days, or even for years, the higher vis viva of their internal vibrations corresponding to the original temperature. This transference of energy... takes place so slowly that it cannot be perceived amid the fluctuations of temperature of the surrounding bodies.

The initial state in most cases is bound to be highly improbable and from it the system will always rapidly approach a more probable state until it finally reaches the most probable state, i.e., that of the heat equilibrium.

<small>Ref: Boltzmann, "Bemerkungen über einige Probleme der mechanischen Warmetheorie," Sitz. ber. der k. Wien. Acad. vol. lxxv. 1877</small>