"He's retired, he's living the life of a hangel."
There is a phrase about "the happiness of the greatest number." It is an expressive phrase, but different people have different opinions of happiness. I was hunting in the Midland Counties and I asked, "Where is Tom?" The answer was, "He's retired, he's living the life of a hangel; he's a-heating, and a-drinking and a-cussing, and a-swearing all day long." That may not be your idea of the life of an angel, if it was my friend's idea.
The Tredegar Show,
December 18th, 1872.
[CHATS TO AND ABOUT CABBIES.]
"Prepared to go the pace according to the fare they expected at the end of the journey."
I have had many rides in the cabs of Newport, and have always found the cabbies very good drivers, prepared to go the pace according to the fare they expected at the end of the journey.
Cabmen's Dinner, Newport,
November 8th, 1889.