I suppose my absurd misunderstanding arose from a vague notion that the blood of Christ had in it something like this virtue of Lethe water.

Just think how blessed a thing for men it would be if such were indeed the case, if their memories could be cleansed and disinfected at the same time their hearts were purified! Then the most disgraced and ashamed might live good and happy lives again.

Men would be redeemed from their sins in fact, and not merely in name.

The figurative promises of the Gospel would become literally true.

But this is idle dreaming.