In 1760, Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter to his friend John Baskerville.

Baskerville was an artist, printer and creator of the type bearing his name. Franklin visited Birmingham frequently, staying with Baskerville. They shared the same year of birth and a professional interest in type and books. Baskerville's type had greater contrast of line widths, thinner serifs, and a lighter feel. He then wet the paper before printing and pressed the metal type and its ink into the paper. His styles were met with criticism, and many claimed they were difficult to read and even caused blindness.

In his letter to Baskerville, Benjamin Franklin reported that he had tested one critic by referring to a Caslon type sample as a "Baskerville" type sample.