t, according to the legend, was "ful thyrty fote longe," and was
conquered by Sir Bevis of Southampton.

In "Cymbeline" (iii 3), Belarius says:

"the gates of monarchs
Are arch'd so high, that giants may jet through
And keep their impious turbans on, without
Good morrow to the sun."

In the "Merry Wives of Windsor" (ii. 1), Mrs. Page says: "I had rather
be a giantess, and lie under Mount Pelion."[953]

[953] Cf. "Measure for Measure," ii. 2, iii. 1; "Much Ado About
Nothing," v. 1; "Loves Labour's Lost," iii. 1.

_Lucky Days._ From the most remote period certain days have been
supposed to be just as lucky as others are the reverse, a notion which
is not confined to any one country. In Shakespeare's day great attention
was paid to this superstitious fancy, which is probably alluded to in
the "Winter's Tale" (iii. 3), where the Shepherd says to the Clown,
"'Tis a lucky day, boy; and we'll do good deeds on't."

In "King John" (iii. 1) Constance exclaims:

"What hath this day deserv'd? what hath it done,
That it in golden letters should be set
Among the high tides in the calendar?
Nay, rather turn this day out of the week,
This day of shame, oppression, perjury:
Or, if it must stand still, let wives with child
Pray that their burthens may not fall this day,
Lest that their hopes prodigiously be cross'd:
But on this day let seamen fear no wreck;
No bargains break that are not this day made:
This day, all things begun come to ill end,
Yea, faith itself to hollow falsehood change!"

Again, Macbeth (iv. 1) says:

"Let this pernicious hour
Stand aye accursed in the calendar!"

In the old almanacs the days supposed to be favorable or unfavorable are
enumerated, allusion to which occurs in Webster's "Duchess of Malfy,"
1623:

"By the almanack, I think,
To choose good days and shun the critical."

At the present day this superstition still retains its hold on the
popular mind, and in the transactions of life exerts an important
influence.[954]

[954] See Brand's "Pop. Antiq.," 1879, vol. i. pp. 44-51;
Jones's "Credulities Past and Present," pp. 493-507; Hampson's
"OEvi Medii Kalendarium," vol. i. p. 210; see an article on "Day
Fatality" in John Aubrey's "Miscellanies."

_Magic._ The system of magic, which holds such a prominent place in "The
Tempest," was formerly an article in