Inspired by the story behind the original edition of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel — the publication in which the inspiration for the homonymous typeface was found — this specimen publication collects a series of unfavourable reviews of literary works that later became classics.
The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, written in 1859 by George Meredith, was initially considered obscene, as it dealt with themes of class consciousness and forbidden love. For years it was condemned by critics and even banned from public libraries, but by the turn of the century it had gained wide appreciation and ultimately became a bestseller. The same is true of many of the works compiled in the specimen, each represented by a particularly negative review received from a mainstream publication upon release, all of which nonetheless went on to become literary classics despite the scandalous initial response.