And the reader must remember that this
mood, which he has read in a quarter of an hour, is but one
mood of the myriad
moods of John Barleycorn, and that the procession of such
moods may well last the clock around through many a day and week and month.
What is the author's attitude toward Nature--(1) does he view Nature in a purely objective way, as a mass of material things, a series of material phenomena or a mere embodiment of sensuous beauty; or (2) is there symbolism or mysticism in his attitude, that is--does he view Nature with awe as a spiritual power; or (3) is he thoroughly subjective, reading his own
moods into Nature or using Nature chiefly for the expression of his
moods?
All these
moods ran themselves into one general effect, which Helen compared to the sliding of a river, quick, quicker, quicker still, as it races to a waterfall.
But poorly could I withstand them, much as in other
moods I was almost ready to smile at the solemn whimsicalities of that outlandish prophet of the wharves.
Differing one from another in natures and
moods so greatly as they did, they yet formed, bending, a curiously uniform row--automatic, noiseless; and an alien observer passing down the neighbouring lane might well have been excused for massing them as "Hodge".
He would have ugly
moods, when he hated Ona and the whole family, because they stood in his way.
Sombre as it was, it put on the kindest of its
moods to welcome her.
It happened that on that morning of his name day the prince was in one of his worst
moods. He had been going about the house all the morning finding fault with everyone and pretending not to understand what was said to him and not to be understood himself.
The West Wind reigns over the seas surrounding the coasts of these kingdoms; and from the gateways of the channels, from promontories as if from watch-towers, from estuaries of rivers as if from postern gates, from passage-ways, inlets, straits, firths, the garrison of the Isle and the crews of the ships going and returning look to the westward to judge by the varied splendours of his sunset mantle the
mood of that arbitrary ruler.
But Katavasov's serene and good-humored expression suddenly struck him, and he felt such tenderness for his own happy
mood, which he was unmistakably disturbing by this conversation, that he remembered his resolution and stopped short.
An hour ago they had seemed dangerous companions for so lofty a
mood; but now, under the gentle influences of dinner, the
mood had not indeed changed--but mellowed.
Complete surrender to a particular
mood until the
mood itself surrenders to the artist, and afterwards silent ceaseless toil until a form worthy of its expression has been achieved -- this is the method of Li Po and his fellows.