If I must speak the schoolmaster's language, I will confess that
character comes of this infinitive mood, [Greek: charassen], which
signifies to engrave, or make a deep impression. And for that cause a
letter (as A, B) is called a character: those elements which we learn
first, leaving a strong seal in our memories.
Character is also taken for an Egyptian hieroglyphic, for an impress or
short emblem; in little comprehending much.
To square out a character by our English level, it is a picture (real or
personal) quaintly drawn in various colours, all of them heightened by
one shadowing.
It is a quick and soft touch of many strings, all shutting up in one
musical close; it is wit's descant on any plain song.