MobilizationThosewhoseenoprospectheldouttothembythisexceptacountryinwhichallthechildrenshallberoamingsavages，shouldconsider，first，whethertheirconditionwouldbeanyworsethanthatofthelittlecagedsavagesoftoday，andsecond，whethereitherchildrenoradultsaresoapttorunwildthatitisnecessarytotetherthemfasttooneneighborhoodtopreventageneraldissolutionofsociety。Myownobservationleadsmetobelievethatwearenothalfmobilizedenough。True，Icannotdenythatwearemoremobilethanwewere。
YouwillstillfindinthehomecountiesoldmenwhohaveneverbeentoLondon，andwhotellyouthattheyoncewenttoWinchesterorStAlbansmuchasiftheyhadbeentotheSouthPole；buttheyarenotsocommonastheclerkwhohasbeentoParisortoLovelyLucerne，andwho\"goesawaysomewhere\"whenhehasaholiday。Hisgrandfatherneverhadaholiday，and，ifhehad，wouldnomorehavedreamedofcrossingtheChannelthanoftakingaboxattheOpera。ButwithallallowanceforthePolytechnicexcursionandthetouristagency，ourinertiaisstillappalling。IconfesstohavingoncespentnineyearsinLondonwithoutputtingmynoseoutsideit；andthoughthiswasbetter，perhaps，thantherestlessglobe-trottingvagabondageoftheidlerich，wanderingfromhoteltohotelandneverreallylivinganywhere，yetIshouldnomorehavedoneitifIhadbeenproperlymobilizedinmychildhoodthanIshouldhavewornthesamesuitofclothesallthattimewhich，bytheway，Iverynearlydid，myprofessionalincomenothavingasyetbeguntosprout。TherearemassesofpeoplewhocouldaffordatleastatriptoMargate，andagoodmanywhocouldaffordatriproundtheworld，whoaremoreimmovablethanAldgatepump。Toothers，whowouldmoveiftheyknewhow，travellingissurroundedwithimaginarydifficultiesandterrors。
Inshort，thedifficultyisnottofixpeople，buttorootthemup。
Wekeeprepeatingthesillyproverbthatarollingstonegathersnomoss，asifmosswereadesirableparasite。Whatwemeanisthatavagabonddoesnotprosper。Eventhisisnottrue，ifprosperitymeansenjoymentaswellasresponsibilityandmoney。Therealmiseryofvagabondageisthemiseryofhavingnothingtodoandnowheretogo，themiseryofbeingderelictofGodandMan，themiseryoftheidle，poororrich。Andthisisoneofthemiseriesofunoccupiedchildhood。Theunoccupiedadult，thusafflicted，triesmanydistractionswhichare，tosaytheleast，unsuitedtochildren。Butoneofthem，thedistractionofseeingtheworld，isinnocentandbeneficial。Alsoitischildish，beingacontinuationofwhatnursescall\"takingnotice，\"bywhichachildbecomesexperienced。Itispitiablenowadaystoseemenandwomendoingaftertheageof45allthetravellingandsightseeingtheyshouldhavedonebeforetheywere15。Merewonderingandstaringatthingsisanimportantpartofachild\'seducation:thatiswhychildrencanbethoroughlymobilizedwithoutmakingvagabondsofthem。
Avagabondisathomenowherebecausehewanders:achildshouldwanderbecauseitoughttobeathomeeverywhere。Andifithasitspapersanditspassports，andgetswhatitrequiresnotbybeggingandpilfering，butfromresponsibleagentsofthecommunityasofright，andwithsomeformalacknowledgmentoftheobligationsitisincurringandaknowledgeofthefactthattheseobligationsarebeingrecorded:if，further，certainqualificationsareexactedbeforeitispromotedfrompermissiontogoasfarasitslegswillcarryittousingmechanicalaidstolocomotion，itcanroamwithoutmuchdangerofgypsification。