Prof. Samuel Daiches, in his essay, "Balaam a Baru," declares that "Balaam was a sorcerer pure and simple," quoting from certain Babylonian tablets written in cuneiform characters, to prove his resemblance to the "baru" of the ancient ritual who would be deemed a magician in these days. Professor Daiches also states that, in the Babylonian Ritual Tablets lately deciphered, is found the statement that "the diviner and the inquirer in the ceremony have _both_ to be engaged and present when the wishes of the gods are to be consulted," and that "this was followed in religious ceremonies in many other countries." This custom is adhered to at present in the Roman Catholic Church when the penitent confesses to the priest, the two people being alone and shielded from observation. All the early games for the Tarots were arranged for two persons. The modifications that crept in after 1400 allowed other players to join, when different names were given to the newly invented games. The main rules were but little altered and the play was only changed in order that others might take part, which is one of the clearly defined marks indicating the period when the Tarots were discarded by initiated persons and adopted by people in general, who accepted the cards for amusement, leaving the prophetic mysteries to the superstitious. The complete pack of Tarots, as it came from the ancients, consists of two parts, twenty-two Atouts and fifty-six suit cards, or seventy-eight in all; but these are used only in Italy. A pack called Tarok or Taroc is a favorite in Austria and Hungary, though unknown elsewhere, a fact of which the Viennese are inordinately proud, for they declare, and with truth, that their game is scientific and requires keen intellects to play it successfully. But their handbooks on the game do not recognise the fact that their cards are copied from the ancient Book of Thoth, and that their game is almost identical with the original one of divination called "L'Ombre." The Austrian Taroks have the same numbers as the originals, and retain twenty-two Atouts, but only "le Fou" or "Mercury" has an emblem resembling those on the old leaves. The designs have within fifty years changed from the German or Italian pips to the French devices of Coeurs, Carreaux, Trifle and Piques.