ABSTRACT
The circulation of the Old Arcadia, which remained in manuscript until last century, alludes to its place in literary circle activities, as do the mentions of it in the dedicatory letter as a "trifle" produced in "loose sheets of paper" to be read at leisure by the Countess of Pembroke and a few friends. An analysis of these three texts reveals not only the development of the literary flow from generation to generation, but also the impact of the literary circle as a cultural context in which querelle issues are of ongoing importance. Additionally, in the romances we find depictions of characters whose talents and pastimes reflect those of the figures discussed in this study, women and men who write poetry, share their work, or attempt to conceal it from others, meet for story-telling and game-playing, and enjoy dancing and other musical and dramatic entertainments.
