Abstract:
In his erudite periodical Pieter Rabus reflected on the most recent developments in the Republic of Letters. As the author of the Boekzaal van Europe, he attempted to convey heterodox ideas to his audience, resulting in several controversies. By depicting Rabus’ propagation of dowsing, his defense of De Betoverde Weereld, and his treatment of influential magistrates, this thesis analyses various ways in which Rabus mediated the controversial content of his periodical to his audience. Between 1694 and 1698 his journal was under censorship for explicitly refuting the doctrines of the Reformed Church. Nonetheless, Rabus sought to further advocate his views, he partially ignored the censorship and chose to express his controversial thought in a veiled manner. When his journal was faced with severe threats of cancellation, Rabus applied his agency as an author to avoid censorship; he captured the benevolence of the city magistrates, and the ecclesiastical censorship was lifted.
