"Marriage and Divorce Laws of the World" by Hyacinthe Ringrose is a comprehensive legal reference written in the early 20th century. The work aims to provide a detailed summary of marriage and divorce laws across various countries, catering to lawyers, legislators, sociologists, and students who seek to understand the complex legal landscape surrounding these fundamental social institutions. The book emphasizes the significance of marriage as a cornerstone of civilization while presenting the positive laws of numerous jurisdictions without advocating for any particular legal reform. The opening of the volume introduces the ancient institution of marriage and its evolution over time, illustrating how different cultures and religions have shaped marriage laws. It cites historical figures and texts to define marriage and discusses the roles played by both men and women within these evolving frameworks. The editor highlights that marriage practices have often been tied to societal norms and legal systems that have varied widely between cultures. The beginning sets the stage for the in-depth examination of individual country laws that follows in subsequent chapters, detailing the significance of uniformity and evolving gender roles in marital legalities globally. (This is an automatically generated summary.)