Caswall wrote "See, amid the winter's snow" shortly after converting from the
Church of England to the
Roman Catholic Church and joining the
Oratory of Saint Philip Neri. The hymn was published earliest in 1858 as part of
The Masque of Mary and Other Poems by Caswall. In 1871, John Goss wrote the tune "Humility" specifically for the carol. Later in the year,
Bramley and
Stainer selected "See, amid the winter's snow" to be published nationwide in their
Christmas Carols Old and New as one of the carols that had "proved their hold upon the popular mind". While the carol became popular, a number of verses were cut from later publications. This includes the original final verse about the
Virgin Mary, which was often cut out of non-Catholic hymnals. The artist
Edward Dalziel used the words of this hymn below his engraving of the English
downland with animals, even though the engraving did not have any snow in it.
Shelley Posen wrote "
No More Fish, No Fishermen" in 1996 about the end of the cod fishery in Newfoundland. Australian John Warner wrote "Bring out the Banners" on the 150th anniversary of Australia's
eight-hour work day rule in 1996. == Composition and analysis ==