Competitive to the Diderot’s and d’Alembert’s encyclopedia of Paris, and Protestant in its nature, the work was published in a small Swiss town of Yverdon. It was there in the years 1770–1780 that the Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire universel raisonné des connaissances humaines was published, which contained seventy-five thousand entries in fifty-eight volumes. It differed from the Paris encyclopedia as it did not contain criticism of the Church, entries concerning church matters and theology were developed in the Protestant spirit, and when focusing on certain issues, the critical-philosophical and subjective approach was abandoned in favour of a more neutralized view. With such an outlined vision of the encyclopedia and its Protestant character, it seems obvious that Protestant authors must have dominated the editorial team. The most important collaborators of the Encyclopédie of Yverdon were: Fortunato Bartolomeo de Felice (1723–1798), creator of the work, publisher, translator, author of 685 new or redrafted entries and 140 additions; Elie Bertrand (1713–1797), naturalist and pastor, author of 170 entries in the field of theology, philosophy and natural sciences; César Alexandre Chavannes (1731–1800), pastor and professor of the Academy of Lausanne, author of works on education and anthropology, with 276 entries and 37 additions for the encyclopedia; Gabriel Mingard (1729– 1786), pastor, scholar and theologian, prepared 372 entries and 7 additions to the encyclopedia concerning philosophy, anthropology and theology. In 1772, in the fourteenth volume of the Encyclopédie of Yverdon, the “Dissidents” entry was published, which was devoted to Polish dissidents. The author of this notion, which in scope belongs to modern church history, was the afore-mentioned Elie Bertrand – an outstanding Swiss scholar, titular counselor to the court of King Stanisław August Poniatowski, in the sixties and seventies of the eighteenth century associated with the Republic of nobility. At the beginning of the notion, its author places a remark concerning the meaning of the term itself, announcing that it will also take into account the Polish context. Then, he discusses the beginnings of Christianity and the development of the Reformation, the progress of religious tolerance in Poland and Lithuania, as well as the beginning of persecution of dissidents. As for crimes committed against dissenters, Elie Bertrand thoroughly discusses individual cases, provides the circumstances as well as the consequences of the reported event. This part of the Helvetian naturalist’s deliberations ends with a sad observation about the persecution of dissidents and intolerance prevailing in the Republic of nobility. Elie Bertrand brings his argument to the Stanisław era by discussing the sociopolitical situation of dissenters in Poland. The years 1765–1766 were a time of Stanisław August Poniatowski’s intense reform activities. It met a strong opposition from the “patriots” party known as “republicants”, as well as from the St. Petersburg and Berlin courts. On 11 April 1764, a treaty was signed, under which Frederick, King of Prussia, and Catherine of Russia undertook to protect their followers: Orthodox and Protestant citizens of Poland, which was a pretext for internal interference in the affairs of the Polish nobility. On the other hand, dissenters restricted in their rights, resorted to the protection of Russia and Prussia. This led to the establishment of the Lithuanian (Orthodox) confederation in Słuck (March 20, 1767), the Crown Confederation (Protestants) in Toruń (March 24, 1767) and the general one in Radom (June 23, 1767). The general confederation was joined by opponents of reforms, supporters of the dethronement of Stanisław August and the full restoration of noble liberties. The Seym, known as Repninowski (October 5, 1767 – March 5, 1768), passed the so-called cardinal rights, reaffirmed the principles of free election, liberum veto and the right to denounce obedience to the king, and introduced the equality of Orthodox and Protestants. The answer was the Bar Confederation in Podolia (February 29, 1768), the aim of which was to defend Catholicism, oppose Russia, the king, and give equal rights to other believers. As a consequence, it led to a four-year war that thwarted the planned reforms, resulting in the first partition of Poland (August 5, 1772). As an opponent of intolerance, lawlessness and political adventurism, Elie Bertrand observed the development of the situation in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with great concern, and then wrote about it as the author of the entry about Polish dissidents in the Swiss encyclopedia from Yverdon. Therefore, he was not only a critical observer and analyst of the internal situation of the Polish nobility, but also a reliable and extremely competent informant of European public opinion on Polish affairs. It should be remembered that his interest in the internal politics of Poland and international affairs was not incidental. On the contrary – it was the result of great kindness and constant concern for the fate of the Republic of Poland. However, it should also be remembered that with all his true kindness towards Poland and Poles, Elie Bertrand consistently adopted the unwavering attitude of a legalist who was alien to all manifestations of intolerance and fanaticism. The Helvetian pastor and naturalist has always believed that Poland’s economic and socio-political development and its tolerance towards dissenters should result from a properly formed concept of freedom, consisting in respect for the law by everyone and absolute submission to the will of the sovereign.
