On Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:33:08 -0800 (PST), Art Unwin
wrote:

he overlooked the term requilibrium

From Maxwell himself (with correct spelling):

"About the beginning of this century, the properties of bodies
were investigated by several distinguished French mathematicians
on the hypothesis that they are systems of molecules in
equilibrium. The somewhat unsatisfactory nature of the results of
these investigations produced, especially in this country, a
reaction in favour of the opposite method of treating bodies as if
they were, so far at least as our experiments are concerned, truly
continuous. This method, in the hands of Green, Stokes, and
others, has led to results, the value of which does not at all
depend on what theory we adopt as to the ultimate constitution of
bodies."

It would appear that equilibrium (by any variant of spelling) is:
1. French;
2. unsatisfactory;
3. a poorer relation to continuous (i.e. employing time which
equilibrium does not).

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC