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Cousins, James Henry

(1873- ?). Principal of the Theosophical College, Madanapalle, India, poet and educator. He joined the Theosophical Society (TS) in 1904. He obtained his doctorate in literature from the Keiogijuku University of Japan where he served as Professor of English Poetry, 1919-20. He married Margaret E. Gillespie in April 9, 1903. Together with W. B. YEATS and George William RUSSELL (AE), he was one of the prominent personalities of the Irish Literary Revival.

In October 3, 1922, Cousins was appointed Director of the Brahmavidy€shrama at Adyar (H.Q. of the TS). At an unrecorded date Cousins was appointed Presidential Agent for the TS in Ireland. In 1915 he was appointed to the literary staff of Annie BESANT’s periodical New India. During his time in India Cousins served on the Senate of the University of Madras (Chennai) and helped organize the State University of Travancore.

Cousins served the Theosophical Society as writer, organizer, lecturer and administrator for many years and was a formidable defender of Helena P. BLAVATSKY when she was adversely reported on by Richard HODGSON. He was a prolific writer of both poetry and prose, publishing over 20 volumes of poetry. Collections of his poetry, A Wandering Harp and A Bardic Pilgrimage were published c. 1933.



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