Not so, however, of Farmicola's tavern, whither card playing,
drinking, and ribaldry drew crowds, especially when the
legislature was in session.*

* Beveridge, vol. I, pp. 171-73.


But there was one institution of which Richmond could boast, even
in comparison with New York, Boston, or Philadelphia, and that
was its Bar. Randolph, Wickham, Campbell, Call, Pendleton,
Wythe--these are names whose fame still survives wherever the
history of the American Bar is cherished; and it was with their
living bearers that young Marshall now entered into competition.
The result is somewhat astonishing at first consideration, for
even by the standards of his own day, when digests, indices, and
the other numerous aids which now ease the path of the young
attorney were generally lacking, his preparation had been slight.
Several circumstances, however, came to his rescue. So soon after
the Revolution British precedents were naturally rather out of
favor, while on the other hand many of the questions which found
their way into the courts were those peculiar to a new country
and so were without applicable precedents for their solution.
What was chiefly demanded of an attorney in this situation was a
capacity for attention, the ability to analyze an opponent's
argument, and a discerning eye for fundamental issues. Competent
observers soon made the discovery that young Marshall possessed
all these faculties to a marked degree and, what was just as
important, his modesty made recognition by his elders easy and
gracious.