I don't know what it is about fecundity that so appalls. I suppose it is the teeming evidence that birth and growth, which we value, are ubiquitous and blind, that life itself is so astonishingly cheap, that nature is as careless as it is bountiful, and that with extravagance goes a crushing waste that will one day include our own cheap lives.

Summary

This quote reflects on the contradictions and discomfort that arise from the concept of fecundity, or the ability to reproduce and give birth abundantly. The speaker suggests that it is appalling because it reveals the overwhelming evidence that birth and growth are constant and indiscriminate, emphasizing the cheapness and insignificance of life. They further criticize nature for being both bountiful and careless, resulting in a wasteful abundance that includes not only other lives but also our own. This quote provokes contemplation on the value and transience of life in the face of nature's vast reproductive capability.

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