"Seldom" and "rare" are sometimes synonyms, but "seldom" is usually used as an adverb, while "rare" is usually an adjective. There is also a meaning for "rare" which has to do with meat: it means that the meat is not cooked to the point of being well done. This is the preference of many people for preparing expensive beefsteaks. Now back to time: "seldom" means "not often", and "rare" means "almost never", so it is stronger. Examples: "I seldom eat red meat, and it is rare for me to eat white grains or white flour." This means that I do eat red meat, but not often, but that I almost never eat white grains or white flour. I never eat rare steak. Do you see that in the first sentence, "seldom" is an adverb telling "when" I read red meat: "seldom"; while "rare" is an adjective used in the predicate? See http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/general-language-discussions/4512-predicate-ad In the second sentence, the adjective "rare" describes "steak": What kind of steak? Rare steak. I hope this helps. Taken From http://en.allexperts.com/q/English-Second-Language-1815/2012/2/seldom-rare.htm

Seldom means 'Not often' also the same as Rarely.

So what did Alice mean?. She gives herself very good advice, but she rarely seldom follows it. .... Any interpretations appreciated.

Good question. There's really not much difference between those 2 words. I seldom eat rare meat. I rarely eat rare meat. The meaning is more or less the same.