"Je prends la plume d'une main tremblante... - ...mon Julien! mes larmes me troublent la - toublent la (ces deux derniers mots rayés) vue, je ne sais si vous pourrez me - lire..."

Gavarni, Paul, 1804-1866 · July 29, 1837

In his shop, an old public writer seated in front of a table writing on a desk under the dictation of a young woman in a cap sitting to the left on the other side of the table. On a window at the bottom we read: "(Écr)ivain public," and also below, "On peut - écrire - soi-même."