SQUID: Book the First - Chapter 1

"It was the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five. Spiritual revelations were conceded to England at that favoured period, as at this. Mrs. Southcott had recently attained her five-and-twentieth blessed birthday, of whom a prophetic private in the Life Guards had heralded the sublime appearance by announcing hat arrangements were made for the swallowing up of London and Westminster. Even the Cock-lane ghost had been laid only a round dozen of years, after rapping out its messages, as the spirits of this very last year past (supernaturally deficient in originality) rapped out theirs. Mere messages in the earthly order of events had lately come to the English Crown and People, from a congress of British subjects in America: which, strange to relate, have proved more important to the human race than any communications yet received through any of the chickens of the Cock-lane brood. " Book 1, Chpt. 1, Pg. 1

This quote opens up quite a few ideas for us; the time frame (1775), new characters, and elaborates on the setting. Mrs. Southcott is first familiarized and has just turned 25. Also, the Cock-lane ghost is brought up making us realize that the English people had quite an imagination and very superstitious minds. Lastly, the British subjects that traveled to America sent back more important, mere messages that are more effective on the human race. The British devalue the communications through the Cock-lane ghost and sarcastically apply that it is strange to relate the two ideas.