Section 55. Character as affecting damages

55. Character as affecting damages .--In civil cases, the fact that the character of any person is such as to affect the amount of damages which he ought to receive, is relevant. Explanation. --In sections 52, 53, 54 and 55, the word "character" includes both reputation and disposition; but,[4] [except as provided in section 54], evidence may be given only of general reputation and general disposition, and not of particular acts by which reputation or disposition were shown.