The  Provincial,  with  an  eye  to  rigid  economy,  chose  some
smaller  site  than  pleased  the  buoyant  optimism  of  the  Car-
dinal. He  preferred  a  large  open  space  of  just  over  three
acres  that  lay  between  S.  Pancras  Almshouses  and  a  strip  of
land  that  went  by  the  name  of  "  Mr.  Gibbon's."  The  long
frontage  that  faced  the   unkempt    Southampton    Road  gave


Ube  "[Restoration  205

promise  of  great  opportunity,  and,  as  was  his  wont,  the
Cardinal  used  it  for  the  text  of  a  prophetic  vision  of  teeming-
populations  and  crowded  congregations.  Fr.  Procter,  who
possessed  little  emotion,  and  was  careful  to  hide  even  such  as
he  had,  was  content  with  the  command  of  his  prelate,  and,
with  characteristic  determination,  set  about  the  task  of
acquiring  the  property  pointed  out  to  him.  By  March  1862
the  whole  plot  was  bought  through  the  generosity  of  a  novice
at  Woodchester,  and  even  earlier  (27  January)  the  neighbour-
ing mission  of  Kentish  Town  was  taken  over  by  Fr.  Dominic
Aylward,  that  fine  scholar  and  accomplished  poet,  and  Fr.
Albert  Buckler,  just  beginning  his  zealous  career  as  a  preacher.
Within  another  year  the  foundation  stone  of  the  present  priory
was  laid  by  Pere  Jandel,  Master-General  of  the  Order,  one  of
the  earliest  companions  of  Lacordaire.  As  was  only  fitting,
this  function  took  place  in  the  presence  of  the  inspirer  of  the
project,  his  Eminence  Cardinal  Wiseman,  accompanied  by
Bishop  Clifford  and  Provost  Manning.  Not  till  mid-June  1S67
was  the  priory  so  far  advanced  that  the  community  could
move  into  the  new  building,  the  actual  date  being  14  June.
