turned home for the
winter, and where he renewed his acquaintance with the
villagers.

=The _and which_ construction=

=17. Use _and which_ (or _but which_), _and who_ (or _but who_) only
between relative clauses similar in form. Between a main clause and a
relative clause, _and_ or _but_ thwarts subordination.=

Wrong: This is an important problem, and which we shall not
find easy to solve.

Right: This problem is an important problem, which we shall not
find easy to solve.

Right: This problem is one _which_ is important, _and which_ we
cannot easily solve.

Wrong: _Les Miserables_ is a novel of great interest and which
everybody should read.

Right: _Les Miserables_ is a novel of great interest, and one
which everybody should read.

Wrong: Their chief opponent was Winter, a shrewd politician,
but who is now less popular than he was.

Right: Their chief opponent was Winter, a shrewd politician,
who is now less popular than he was.

Note.--Rule 17 is sometimes briefly stated: "Do not use _and which_
unless you have already used _which_ in the sentence." This statement is
generally true, but an exception must be made for sentences like the
following: Right: "He told me what countries he had visited, and which
ones he liked most."

Exercise:

1. Just outside is a small porch looking out over the street,
and which can be used for sleeping purposes.

2. She is a woman of pleasing personality, and who can converse
intelligently.

3. It is a difficult task, but which can be accomplished in
time.

4. He is a good-looking man, but who is very snobbish.

5. The rule made by the conference of college professors in
1896, and which has been followed ever since, applies to the
case we are considering.

=Unity Thwarted by Punctuation=

=The Comma Splice=

=18. Do not splice two independent statements by means of a comma. Write
two sentences. Or, if the two statements together form a unit of
thought, combine them (1) by a comma plus a conjunction, (2) by a
semicolon, or (3) by reducing one of the statements to a phrase or a
subordinate clause.=

Wrong: The town has two railroads, it was founded when oil was
discovered.

Right: The town has two railroads. It was founded when oil was
discovered.

Wrong: The speed of the car seemed slower than