Michael s Crag Author:Grant Allen Grant Allen was a 19th century science writer and novelist. He was a strong supporter of evolution. Despite his religious upbringing he became an agnostic and socialist. His first writing was scientific. Beginning in 1894 Allen produced 30 novels including the scandalous novel The Woman Who Did. An excerpt from Michael's Crag "in my uncle'... more »s time, I liked it well enough, no doubt. Boys don't realize the full terror of sea or cliff, you know, and are perfectly happy swimming and climbing. I used to be amphibious in those days, like a seal or an otter--in the water half my time; and I scrambled over the rocks--great heavens, it makes me giddy now just to THINK where I scrambled. But when I was about thirteen years old"-his face grew graver still--"a change seemed to come over me, and I began . . . well, I began to hate Penmorgan. I've hated it ever since. I shall always hate it. I learned what it all meant, I suppose--rocks, wrecks, and accidents."« less