Fame May Not Always Mean Value

Towards the end of chapter 1 in The Homely Virtues, John Watson discusses the fleeting value of fame:

Can any one be sure who is doing the most valuable and lasting work, or how the accounts are to be struck at the close of the day? Does it follow of necessity that a woman who makes clever speeches on the platform is rendering greater service to her generation than the house mother, who has guided her household well, and secured the peace and comfort of home to her husband and children? Can the minister who preaches to thousands in the great city be certain that he deserves more of the Church than his country colleague who is quietly building up the character of young men who shall by-and-by make the strength of the city? Is a brilliant writer a greater gain to the commonwealth than a silent merchant who has extended its commerce to the ends of the earth and filled a thousand homes with plenty? It is impossible to say; it is not necessary to make comparison; it is sufficient to remember that fame may not always mean value, and that the soundest work in the world may be done by obscure people.