In which the author thoughtfully reflects on the significance and challenge of choosing a fitting title and era for his tale, deliberately eschewing the well-trodden paths of romance and modernity to anchor his story sixty years prior to the present day. Through this framing, he promises a narrative coloured less by fashions and more by the enduring passions and characters of mankind, set against a backdrop where the manners of past generations enhance rather than overshadow the human drama.