It's good to know that even mages outside the Circle have means to learn more about their gifts. And escaped Circle mages? They must be pretty old considering no one but Anders managed to escape during my stay there.
Not like coming clean about your being part of the Collective would do you any harm in a place like this. When it comes to my stand on the Circle, I can't really choose a side. I arrived when I was very young, maybe even too young, and was a bit pampered by our First Enchanter Irving. I grew up in a relatively liberal Circle that was in a much better state than others, especially Kirkwall. I'll always be grateful for what I've learned in the Circle however I also can't forgive them for several reasons other than keeping me locked in all those years.