  In the context of hermitean one--matrix models we show that the emergence of
the NLS hierarchy and of its reduction, the KdV hierarchy, is an exact result
of the lattice characterizing the matrix model. Said otherwise, we are not
obliged to take a continuum limit to find these hierarchies. We interpret this
result as an indication of the topological nature of them. We discuss the
topological field theories associated with both and discuss the connection with
topological field theories coupled to topological gravity already studied in
the literature.
