Public Domain Explorer

Using the public domain to add uniqueness to private label articles

A few weeks ago I picked up a psychology/ self-help public domain book that had some content I wanted to add to a particular e-course I'm selling.

At the end of the book I found an added bonus -- a dozen pages of quotations on the subject that were really amazing.

In addition to adding the collection to my course package, I also added a quotation to each of the private label articles I posted on the content/adsense site I'm using to feed traffic to my sales page, which (along with a spin through WhiteSmoke to change the wording and grammar), make my content unique to the search engines.

And I used a freely available quotations script to rotate the various quotations on the sales page as an illustration of the insight they'll receive from the course package.

But, back to my thought on quotations .. if you're looking for extra snippets to add to your purchased private label articles for uniqueness, why not do a search through Project Gutenberg or the Online Books site, or even books in your personal library, to find related quotations to add instead of the generic intro and conclusion snippets that so many other people are using on their sites?

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Found in a magazine from the 1800s

BURIED TREASURE.

Upon a time—I do not know
Exactly when, but long ago—
A man whose riches were untold.
Silver and precious stones and gold-

Within an Eastern city dwelt;
But not a moment’s peace he felt,
For fear that thieves should force his door,
And rob him of his treasured store.

In spite of armed slaves on guard,
And doors and windows locked and barred,
His life was one continual fright;
He hardly slept a wink by night,
And had so little rest” by day
That he grew prematurely gray.

At last he dug a monstrous pit
To hold his wealth, and buried it
By night, alone; then smoothed the ground
So that the spot could not be found.

But he gained nothing by his labor:
A curious, prying, envious neighbor,
Who marked the hiding, went and told
The Sultan where to find the gold.

A troop of soldiers came next day,
And bore the hoarded wealth away.

Some precious jewels still remained,
For which a goodly price he gained,
Then left the city, quite by stealth,
To save the remnant of his wealth;
But now, by hard experience taught,
A better way to keep it sought.

Broad lands he bought, and wisely tilled ;
With fruits and grain his barns he filled;
He used his wealth with liberal hand;
His plenty flowed through all the land;
And, hid no longer under-ground,
Spread honest comfort all around.

Thus calm and prosperous pass the years,
Till on a fated day he hears
The Sultan’s mandate, short and dread,
” Present thyself, or lose thy head!”
Fearful and trembling, he obeys,
For Sultans have their little ways,
And wretches who affront their lord
Brave bastinado, sack, or cord.

Before the dreaded throne he bowed
Where sat the Sultan, grim and proud,
And thought, “My head must surely fall,
And then my master will seize all
My wealth again.” But from the throne
There came a calm and kindly tone:

” My son; well pleased am I to see
Thy dealings in prosperity;
May Allah keep thee in good health !
Well hast thou learned the use of wealth.
No longer buried under-ground,
Its comforts spread to all around.’

The poor man’s blessings on thy name
Are better far than worldly fame.

I called thee hither. Now, behold,
Here are the silver, gems, and gold
I took from thee in other days;
Receive them back, and go thy ways,
For thou hast learned this truth at last—
Would that it might be sown broadcast!—

That riches are but worthless pelf
When hoarded only for one’s self.”

S. S. G.

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