Dorian  Church Mode I
The Dorian Mode dries watery Phlegm, weakening its influence such that instead of causing lethargy, it causes a sense of equanimity and calm. The ancient Greeks attributed this to the Dorian mode's imparting the power of the Sun.  

 Hypodorian  Church Mode II
The Hypodorian mode magnifies Phlegm's effect on the body and induces lethargy and sleep. The ancient Greeks attributed this to the Hypodorian mode's imparting the power of the Moon.
 
Phrygian  Church Mode III
The Phrygian mode reinforces the effects of Yellow Bile, inciting angry passions. The ancient Greeks attributed this to the Phrygian mode's imparting the power of the Mars.  

 Hypophrygian  Church Mode IV
The Hypophrygian mode mitigates Yellow Bile's effects and acts as a musical scale to sooth the savage breast. It is a tender-sounding scale that incites delight. The ancient Greeks attributed this to the Hypophrygian mode's imparting the power of the Mercury.  
     
Lydian  Church Mode V
The Lydian mode reinforces the Blood, producing happiness. The ancient Greeks attributed this to the Lydian mode's imparting the power of the Jupiter.  

 Hypolydian  Church Mode VI
The Hypolydian mode -- the "Weeping Mode" -- suppresses the effects of Blood, resulting in sadness and piety. The ancient Greeks attributed this to the Hypolydian mode's imparting the power of the Venus.  
 
Mixolydian  Church Mode VII
The Mixolydian mode magnifies the effect of Black Bile, leading to melancholia. The ancient Greeks attributed this to the Mixolydian mode's imparting the power of the Saturn.    

 Hypomixolydian  Church Mode VIII
The Hypomixolydian mode supresses the effects of Black Bile and is the mode of happiness, perfection, and bliss. The ancient Greeks attributed this to the Hypolydian mode's imparting the power of the stars.  
 

from Christian Schubart's Ideen zu einer Aesthetik der Tonkunst (1806)

C Major
Completely Pure. Its character is: innocence, simplicity, na�vety, children's talk.

C Minor
Declaration of love and at the same time the lament of unhappy love. All languishing, longing, sighing of the love-sick soul lies in this key.

Db Major
A leering key, degenerating into grief and rapture. It cannot laugh, but it can smile; it cannot howl, but it can at least grimace its crying.--Consequently only unusual characters and feelings can be brought out in this key.

C# Minor
Penitential lamentation, intimate conversation with God, the friend and help-meet of life; sighs of disappointed friendship and love lie in its radius.

D Major
The key of triumph, of Hallejuahs, of war-cries, of victory-rejoicing. Thus, the inviting symphonies, the marches, holiday songs and heaven-rejoicing choruses are set in this key.

D Minor
Melancholy womanliness, the spleen and humours brood.

Eb Major
The key of love, of devotion, of intimate conversation with God.

D# Minor
Feelings of the anxiety of the soul's deepest distress, of brooding despair, of blackest depresssion, of the most gloomy condition of the soul. Every fear, every hesitation of the shuddering heart, breathes out of horrible D# minor. If ghosts could speak, their speech would approximate this key.

E Major
Noisy shouts of joy, laughing pleasure and not yet complete, full delight lies in E Major.

E minor
Na�ve, womanly innocent declaration of love, lament without grumbling; sighs accompanied by few tears; this key speaks of the imminent hope of resolving in the pure happiness of C major.
F Major
Complaisance & Calm.

F Minor
Deep depression, funereal lament, groans of misery and longing for the grave.

F# Major
Triumph over difficulty, free sigh of relief utered when hurdles are surmounted; echo of a soul which has fiercely struggled and finally conquered lies in all uses of this key.

F# Minor
A gloomy key: it tugs at passion as a dog biting a dress. Resentment and discontent are its language.

G Major
Everything rustic, idyllic and lyrical, every calm and satisfied passion, every tender gratitude for true friendship and faithful love,--in a word every gentle and peaceful emotion of the heart is correctly expressed by this key.

G Minor
Discontent, uneasiness, worry about a failed scheme; bad-tempered gnashing of teeth; in a word: resentment and dislike.

Ab Major
Key of the grave. Death, grave, putrefaction, judgment, eternity lie in its radius.

Ab Minor
Grumbler, heart squeezed until it suffocates; wailing lament, difficult struggle; in a word, the color of this key is everything struggling with difficulty.

A Major
This key includes declarations of innocent love, satisfaction with one's state of affairs; hope of seeing one's beloved again when parting; youthful cheerfulness and trust in God.
A minor
Pious womanliness and tenderness of character.

Bb Major
Cheerful love, clear conscience, hope aspiration for a better world.

Bb minor
A quaint creature, often dressed in the garment of night. It is somewhat surly and very seldom takes on a pleasant countenance. Mocking God and the world; discontented with itself and with everything; preparation for ѕυιcιdє sounds in this key.

B Major
Strongly coloured, announcing wild passions, composed from the most glaring coulors. Anger, rage, jealousy, fury, despair and every burden of the heart lies in its sphere.
B Minor
This is as it were the key of patience, of calm awaiting ones's fate and of submission to divine dispensation.

Translated by Rita Steblin in A History of Key Characteristics in the 18th and Early 19th Centuries. UMI Research Press (1983).

C Major - Rude, Impudent, also suited to rejoicing and occasions of joy. A Clever composer can fit this for something charming or something tender. Serves to rouse an army.

C Min - Lovely, but sad. can easily put someone to sleep by it's gentleness.

D Major - Shrill and Stubborn - best suited to noisy, joyful warlike and rousing things.

D Minor - devout, calm, serious, also grand, pleasant and expressive of contentment.

Eb Major - Pathetic, serious, plaintive, also hostile to to all lasciviousness

A Major - Very Gripping, also brilliant, more suited to lamenting and sad passions. Playful and jesting.

A Minor - plaintive, honourable, and calm. invites pleasant sleep.

Bb Major - diverting and sumptuous. somewhat modest

E Major - Desperate or wholly fatal sadness. Suited for the extremes of helpless and hopeless love, can also be biting, severing, sorrowful, and penetrating. compared with nothin but the fatal seperation of body and soul.

F Major - capable of expressing the beautiful sentiments in the world


F# Min - leads to great distress, but more languid and lovesick than lethal. something abandoned, singular and misanthropic about it

G Major - insinuating and persuasive. quite brilliant; suitable from serious to cheerful

Here are the notes of the 12 modes:

1.Dorian: D E F G A B C D
2.Hypodorian: A B C D E F G A
3.Phrygian: E F G A B C D E
4.Hypophrygian: B C D E F G A B
5.Lydian: F G A B C D E F
6.Hypolydian: C D E F G A B C
7.Mixolydian: G A B C D E F G
8.Hypomixolydian: D E F G A B C D
9.Aeolian: A B C D E F G
10.Hypoaeolian: E F G A B C D
11.Ionian: C D E F G A B C
12.Hypoionian: G A B C D E F G

Quote from: Graham

While the minor mode goes:

whole step
half step
whole step
whole step
whole step
half step
whole step

I thought minor was:
tone (whole step)
semitone (half step)
tone
tone
tone
tone and a half
semitone

As in A minor:
A B C D E F G# A

Quote from: Graham

I forgot to ask if you have any insight into 'mode'. Do you? I'm still struggling to understand it.

I don't have much of a clue about it. I'm willing to learn though!