This is the book that gives good introduction into the historical bacground and the form and sources of the civil law. It also shows some of the characteristics of Roman Law, and how did Roman Law contributed to the modern Civil Law. Students who have a reasonable knowledge of Roman Law and who have taken this book have made a necessary step towards understanding the modern Civil Law. However, they have still far to go. This book also tried to show how the Civil Law has become unfamiliar to roman lawyers because it has developed, often beyond recognition, ideas derived from roman Law. In addition it shows the non-Roman elements, which are to be found in familly law and in the law of succession, which is its natural appendage.