Caswall was the son of Ro­bert Clarke Cas­wall, Vi­car of Yate­ley. He at­tend­ed Chig­well Gram­mar School, Marl­bo­rough School, and Brase­nose Coll­ege, Ox­ford, where he grad­u­at­ed with hon­ors. Be­fore leav­ing Ox­ford, he pub­lished, un­der the pseu­do­nym of Scrib­ler­us Red­i­vi­vus, “The Art of Pluck,” in imi­ta­tion of Aris­to­tle, a sa­tire on the ways of the care­less col­lege stu­dent.

In 1838, Caswall was or­dained as a dea­con, and 1839 as an An­gli­can priest. In 1840 he be­came per­pe­tu­al cur­ate at Strat­ford-sub-Cas­tle near Sal­is­bury. By 1847, though, he had switched to Ro­man Ca­thol­i­cism and went to the Or­a­tory of St. Phil­ip Ne­ri at Edg­bas­ton, where he did most of his hymn work. Cas­wall is best re­mem­bered as a trans­lat­or of an­cient hymns, though he al­so wrote orig­in­al ly­rics. His works in­clude:

• Sermons on the Seen and the Un­seen, 1846
• Lyra Ca­thol­i­ca, 1849
• The Masque of Ma­ry, and Other Po­ems, 1858
• The Ca­tho­lic’s La­tin In­struct­or in the Prin­ci­pal Church Of­fic­es and De­vo­tions

Sources

Hymns

1. Days and Moments Quickly Flying
2. Ho­ly Anthem, The
3. If There Be Any Special Thing
   • O Jesu Christ, if Aught There Be
4. See Amid the Winter’s Snow
5. Sleep, Ho­ly Babe

Translations

1. Above the Starry Spheres
2. All Ye Who Seek a Certain Cure
3. An Exile for the Faith
4. At the Cross, Her Sta­tion Keeping
5. Come Hither, Ye Faithful
6. Come, O Creator Spirit Blest
7. Come, Thou Ho­ly Spirit, Come
8. Dawn Is Sprinkling in the East, The
9. Earth Has Ma­ny a Noble City
10. Glory Be to Jesus
11. Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding
12. He Who Once in Righteous Vengeance
13. Holy Spirit, Lord of Light
14. I Met the Good Shepherd
15. Jesu, Thy Mercies Are Untold
16. Jesus, Brightness of the Father
17. Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee
18. Let Alverna’s Ho­ly Mountain
19. Life Which God’s Incarnate Word, The
20. My God, I Love Thee
21. Now, My Tongue, the Mystery Telling
22. Now with the Rising Golden Dawn
23. O Hope of Every Contrite Heart
24. O Jesu, Thou the Beauty Art
25. O Jesus, King Most Wonderful
26. O Saving Victim, Open Wide
27. O Zion, Open Wide Thy Gates
28. O’erwhelmed in Depths of Woe
29. Sing, My Tongue, the Savior’s Glory
30. Son of the Highest, Deign to Cast
31. Sun Is Sinking Fast, The
32. To Christ, the Prince of Peace
33. When Morn­ing Gilds the Skies