The son of a bailiff of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, he lost both parents in 1837 when Catania was experiencing a cholera epidemic. During the epidemic he was invested with exceptional powers by the Bourbon, but was relieved of his duties when his liberal ideas became known.
During the popular revolts of 1848 he was among the main provocateurs in Catania, and after the Bourbons restored power he had to retreat to Malta to escape the subsequent repression. In 1855 he had a collection of poems printed in Sicilian. He signed himself in Sicilian as Puddu Burreddu.[1]
After his military service he became chancellor of the Court of Caltagirone[2] and then conciliatory judge.
He died at age seventy-four and the news of his death was given by his disciple Nino Martoglio.
In the June 24 issue of his periodical "D'Artagnan," Martoglio wrote, "He was my master, esteemed and revered... From him I learned to love the suave and harsh dialect full of love and hate, your name will always have an altar in my heart. Farewell!"
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