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　　In today's class we'll be examining some nineteenth-century pattern books that were used for building houses.

　　在今天的课上我们将审查一些十九世纪用来建造房屋的样本手册。

　　I think it's fair to say that these pattern books were the most important influence on the design of North American houses during the nineteenth century.

　　我认为公平来讲，这些样本手册在十九世纪期间北美的房屋设计上有着最重要的影响。

　　This was because most people who wanted to build a house couldn't afford to hire an architect.

　　这是因为大多数想要建造房屋的人雇不起(不能承担雇佣)建筑师(的费用)

　　Instead, they bought a pattern book, picked out a plan, and took it to the builder.

　　取而代之，他们买一本样本手册，挑选一个计划，然后把它拿给建筑者

　　The difference in cost was substantial.

　　费用的差异是很大的。

　　In 1870, for example, hiring an architect would've cost about a hundred dollars.

　　在十九世纪七十年代，举例来说，雇一个建筑师应该花费大约一百美金。

　　At the same time, a pattern book written by an architect cost only five dollars.

　　同时，一个建筑师写的样本手册仅仅花费五美金。

　　At that price, it's easy to see why pattern books were so popular.

　　在那种价位，很容易看出为什么样本手册是如此受欢迎。

　　Some are back in print again today, and of course they cost a lot more than they did a hundred years ago.

　　今天有一些又回头出版了，当然它们比一百年前要花费得多的多。

　　But they're an invaluable resource for historians, and also for people who restore old houses.

　　但对历史学家来说他们是一种无价的资源，同时对修复旧房子的人来说也是如此。

　　I have a modern reprint here that I'll be passing around the room in a moment so that everyone can have a look.

　　我这里有一本当代的再版，我将会在房间里传递一会儿以便每个人能看一眼。

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