7 9 6 ▁– ▁ 7 ▁December ▁ 1 8 8 1 ) ▁was ▁an ▁Italian ▁politician ▁and ▁journalist . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁acc laimed ▁as ▁a ▁poet , ▁his ▁most ▁well - known ▁work ▁being ▁the ▁libre tto ▁for ▁V inc en zo ▁Bell ini ' s ▁final ▁opera , ▁I ▁pur it ani ▁which ▁was ▁given ▁its ▁premi ere ▁in ▁Paris ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 8 3 5 . ▁ ▁Born ▁in ▁Bolog na ▁to ▁the ▁arist ocr atic ▁P ep oli ▁family , ▁he ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁movement ▁oppos ing ▁Aust rian ▁rule ▁of ▁Italy ▁before ▁being ▁imprison ed ▁and ▁forced ▁into ▁ex ile ▁in ▁France ▁after ▁ 1 8 3 1 . ▁He ▁spent ▁a ▁large ▁portion ▁of ▁his ▁adult ▁life ▁as ▁an ▁ex ile ▁in ▁both ▁Paris , ▁where ▁he ▁initially ▁taught ▁Italian . ▁He ▁also ▁lived ▁in ▁England , ▁where ▁between ▁ 1 8 3 9 ▁and ▁ 1 8 4 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁" Pro f ess ore ▁di ▁Let ter atura ▁italiana " ▁at ▁University ▁College , ▁London . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁Italy ▁briefly ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 , ▁then ▁from ▁ 1 8 5 9 ▁res umed ▁his ▁political ▁activities ▁which ▁continued ▁to ▁within ▁a ▁year ▁of ▁his ▁death ▁which ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁in ▁his ▁native ▁city ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 8 5 . ▁ ▁Political ▁activity ▁in ▁Italy ▁Sm art ▁describes ▁his ▁activities ▁in ▁both ▁Italy ▁and ▁France , ▁and ▁the ▁connections